WATCH: Paul O’Connell explains the origin behind his ‘Psycho’ nickname on the Late Late

It’s all Alan Quinlan’s fault.

Unlike his contemporaries Ronan O’Gara and Brian O’Driscoll, who were referred to using their three initials, Paul O’Connell went through most of his career without a nickname (apart from the occasional use of 'Paulie' or 'Ligind') being conferred on him by the general public. In Munster circles, it was a little bit different, according to the man himself, who elaborated on why he was referred to as ‘Psycho’ at one stage of his career during his very well-received appearance on the Late Late Show on Friday night. The way O’Connell tells it, the nickname originated from the ferocity of training sessions during his early days at Munster and from Alan Quinlan’s refusal to let a joke go until it was appreciated. Have a listen below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utQP8ZrOxWI Clip via The Late Late Show In fairness to Quinlan, he was probably one of the few people brave enough to say it to O’Connell’s face. If you missed it, you can catch O’Connell’s interview on the RTÉ Player here, while you can see what he had to say about his competitive edge and the injury that ended his career below. https://twitter.com/RTELateLateShow/status/784513697372745729 https://twitter.com/RTELateLateShow/status/784516821034512384