He's not quite the last man standing – at 32 he's just a babe in arms alongside Ronan O'Gara and Marcus Horan – but there's something about the great, square-jawed figure of Paul O'Connell that sets him apart, not just as the figurehead for Munster but as the living embodiment of the side who emerged from provincial obscurity to become giants of European rugby in the first decade of this century.

With the notable exception of Martin Johnson, few captains have imposed their own character on a team as firmly as O'Connell did with Munster. Redoubtable, determined, unyielding: the words most commonly used to describe the mighty lock would fit just as easily around his side. Whether hammering opponents in brutal forward battles or salvaging victories with last-minute scores, Munster's greatest moments could all be counted as expressions of O'Connell's will.

But note the past tense. It has become the default mode around Munster. Because the side who used to brush others away have had a few uncomfortable brushings of their own over the past couple of years. They were smashed out of the Heineken Cup last April, losing 22-16 to Ulster – at Thomond Park to boot – when their fightback fell far short after they had shipped 16 points in the opening quarter. A few weeks later their hopes of reaching the RaboDirect PRO12 final were dynamited by a 45-10 humiliation at the hands of eventual champions Ospreys.

It was a result that reverberated. The old Munster aura had gone. And it would soon be followed by a host of old Munster players. The team from Ireland's south-west go into the new season without David Wallace, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes, Mick O'Driscoll and a clutch of others. A few have moved to new clubs; most of the big names have simply retired.

"It's the changing of the guard, certainly," says O'Connell. "A lot of guys who were stalwarts of the club and team for the last eight, nine, 10 years have gone. Adapting to that change is going to be very important. A lot of the old guys were still around this time last year, but they're gone now and gone for good."

All those empty pegs in the dressing room. It's as if he can't quite believe it. "We had our own unique sense of humour and ways of doing things," he says, his tone almost elegiac. There are still some familiar faces around, but it is not the team of old.

After six seasons as leader, O'Connell will not be captaining Munster this season. Or rather, he won't be wearing the armband, that dubious honour now falling to Doug Howlett, the former New Zealand wing. But in other ways, O'Connell will still be the man the players turn to. When the going gets tough, when they are camped on their own line and desperately defending a slim lead, the nervous glances will still come his way.

And he will be happy enough with that. Taking responsibility is one of those things he does well. "I really enjoyed doing it," he says with sincerity.

"I probably didn't enjoy it as much in the first few years as I did in the last few years. When you're captain you can be keeping an eye on everything else and not keeping an eye on yourself as much as you'd like. I've had six years of it now and thoroughly enjoyed it, but it is time for a change, for someone else to take it on."

Howlett will also inherit O'Connell's role as a lightning rod for supporters' discontent. Four Heineken finals, two of them won, and three Celtic titles have bred a certain level of expectation, and Munster fans were becoming restless towards the end of last season. That, though, is not the reason for O'Connell's decision to relinquish the role.

"People have certainly been disappointed at the last two years," says O'Connell. "They became used to success and they have been frustrated. I don't blame them. We have a tradition of success in Munster and the last two years probably haven't been up to the required standard. I think that expectation is great. I think it makes life uncomfortable for us. It means that when we don't win we're getting criticised. It makes us review every last thing we're doing and try to get the absolute best out of ourselves. As a province we have New Zealand levels of expectation upon us. It means we live in a kind of pressure-filled environment."

Pressure? What pressure? As befits a man of his statuesque proportions, O'Connell, who has picked up 85 Ireland caps since his Test debut in 2002, thrives on the white heat of competition. Even as he watched Ireland's 3-0 series defeat by the All Blacks recently, he was cursing the fact that a knee injury had kept him off the tour. And starting to think of next year, when the Lions will be heading for Australia.

O'Connell was the rising star when he was chosen for the 2005 tour to New Zealand. By 2009, he was the best lock in the British Isles, and a shoo-in to captain the side that went to South Africa. The 2005 venture was humiliating, but the 2-1 series loss in 2009 gave him a glimpse of what might have been. He may not make it to the next World Cup, so being part of a winning Lions tour is his last shot at greatness.

"Lions tours are incredibly hard to win," he says. "They're becoming harder and harder. But with the kind of astute management that the Lions had in 2009 with Ian McGeechan and Warren Gatland then it can be done. So I'd love to go.

"I look at the quality of second rows around now, so it's obviously going to be very tough, but guys who win Lions tours and World Cups set themselves apart from everyone else in the northern hemisphere. Think of that 1997 team who went to South Africa – they're all legends now."

O'Connell's bid to match them might just begin in Edinburgh next weekend, but the likelihood is that he will sit out Munster's opening match of the RaboDirect PRO12 campaign as he rebuilds his fitness. "I'm feeling great," he says, "But I haven't done as much running as I would have liked. I should be in good shape come the big games. My game is based around fitness, but I feel good and I certainly feel fresh from my time off."

So what of Munster's prospects? Is the new generation ready to create the kind of history O'Connell and his mates once did? "People have been frustrated, but they need to be patient because there are a lot of good young players coming through. We've lost a lot of our stalwarts, and players like those come along rarely, let alone all at once. We need time to develop the younger guys.

But there is opt-imism among the players and coaches in terms of how we have prepared this summer. I don't think we'll be favourites for any competitions, but I'd certainly give us an out-side chance in both tourn- aments."