There's no doubt it's a tough watch. The reaction to the end of Paul O'Connell's international career has been understandably emotional. At the end of the day, it is just sport, but sport is damn important and sometimes it does require an emotional reaction.
In that sense, perhaps it was a bit too much to see a fallen hero in obvious pain. Outside the Ireland team hotel yesterday, RTÉ managed to get this footage of a stricken Paul O'Connell trying to get into what appears to be an undersized Land Rover (it's not, that's just the Paulie effect).
Paul O'Connell leaving the @IrishRugby team hotel a short time ago http://t.co/Z5TOKW6wvbhttps://t.co/S5iGDS42Dl
— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) October 13, 2015
It's a tough watch but it's nonetheless engrossing stuff and it's hard to look away. However, some fans are less than pleased with the national broadcaster for publishing the footage.
@RTErugby @IrishRugby poor form. Did he really need a camera shoved in his face at that time? No class Rte u should have had more respect
— Brian Padden (@bpadden) October 13, 2015
@RTErugby @IrishRugby @bpadden Agreed,was this really necessary?I am sure he was gutted & in pain enough without the cameras following him. — Stephanie O'Loughlin (@StephanieOLough) October 13, 2015
@RTErugby @MichaelC_RTE @IrishRugby Does the man not deserve some privacy?
— Linden Lad (@Linden_Lad) October 13, 2015
@RTErugby @IrishRugby Absolutely disgraceful @rte, subjecting one of Ireland's greatest athletes to that. — Jason Thompson (@jaohthompson) October 13, 2015
@RTErugby @IrishRugby jaysus. How about some privacy!!!
— Audrena (@AudrenaOMalley) October 13, 2015
To be fair to RTÉ, there's nothing particularly untoward here. It's more the raw unedited nature of the footage that makes it seem more stark than if it had been broadcast as part of a package on the Six One News. While the anger against the footage might be going a bit far, it really does go to show just how much love there is for the big man.
