Madigan replaced Johnny Sexton after 25 minutes, and helped Ireland secure a famous 24-9 victory over France at the Millennium Stadium.
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The Leinster pivot stepped squarely out of Johnny Sexton’s shadow after the British and Irish Lions fly-half trudged out of the France clash with a groin strain.
Team manager Mick Kearney told a media conference on Monday morning that the blindside flanker would return to Dublin immediately for specialist attention.
Ireland will now avoid favourites for the World Cup New Zealand in the quarter-finals and will play Argentina instead.
Ireland coach Joe Schmidt, who had no hesitation in choosing O’Connell as his skipper for the title-winning 2014 Six Nations side despite his injuries – various knee, groin and ankle problems had through the years caused him to miss many matches – and his age, summed up O’Connell’s class with a word from his homeland: “Mana”.
Sunday’s game against France has taken its toll on the Ireland squad with Peter O’Mahony already back in Cork after he suffered serious knee ligament damage.
Andrew Trimble is in the frame to slot in for Payne, ruled out with a fractured foot, while Dan Tuohy could be lined up to slot in for O’Connell.
After spending his club career to date with Munster, O’Connell signed a two-year deal with French giant Toulon for what could be his final seasons in rugby. “It looks like an upper hamstring but we will have to properly wait until we get that scanned just to make sure the inflammation has decreased a little”.
Schmidt said O’Connell’s “significant” hamstring injury could spell the end of his global career.
“From the start of the week we knew how tough it was going to be”, he said.
“I think sometimes it’s what you see from a distance or when you’re in an opposing team, being with Scotland and with Wasps at the time”.
“The form he’s in is superb”.
O’Connell was having a scan this morning, which it was feared would confirm Ireland had lost their talisman.
“The team talk does write itself ultimately this week”, said Ireland flanker Chris Henry, who revealed he was reduced to tears by O’Connell’s pre-game team talk against France. “We have got to keep looking forward and get on with it, as cruel as it might sound”. But it was great to see the sheer delight after the game in terms of what we had achieved as oppose to feeling sorry for himself.
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“He was just delighted and beaming from ear to ear”. I also think it’s not a closed fist.
