Wales star Alun-Wyn Jones has described Ireland captain Paul O'Connell as being "the ultimate team player" ahead of next week's crucial Six Nations clash between the two sides.
The pair have played on the same team during the last two British and Irish Lions tours, but come face to face in Cardiff next week with vital championship points on the line.
O'Connell is likely to win his 100th cap at the Millennium Stadium, and Jones was quick to hail the impact that his opposite number has had on the game.
"You associate words like icon and talisman with him," he is quoted as saying by ESPN. "He is the ultimate team player. I remember a quote of his a while back that puts the role of a forward, particularly a tight-five forward, into the right perception for anyone - it is a job you do to make other people look good, and he has been doing that for Ireland since he has had the jersey.
"It highlights his drive and determination for the team, which is more than any individual feat. I have played alongside him a few times in some pretty big games. He is all for the team.
"He speaks when when he needs to, and what he says is not for the sake of it, but has meaning. He is one of the few guys able to back that up with performances, and he has a CV that speaks for itself."
Ireland currently top the Six Nations standings with three wins from three, while Wales are two points behind having recovered from an opening-game defeat against England.
Daniel Lewis
