It has been a fantastic year for Irish rugby, and all capped off by a clean sweep in November with an added All Blacks scalp.
Ireland have never looked in a healthier state as we face into a world cup year and with a juicy Six Nations ahead, where Ireland will have a target on their backs in every game, how this team deals with the favourite tags will be all important.
The progress Joe Schmidt’s side have made is not lost on our neighbours across the Irish sea, with former England centre Jeremy Guscott naming 9 Irish in his Autumn XV.
Fullback: Rob Kearney (Ireland)
Winger: Joe Cokanasiga (England)
Centre: Jonathan Davies (Wales)
Centre: Owen Farrell (England)
Winger: Jacob Stockdale (Ireland)
Fly-half: Johnny Sexton (Ireland)
Scrum-half: Gareth Davies (Wales)
Prop: Cian Healy (Ireland)
Hooker: Rory Best (Ireland)
Prop: Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)
"He forces every other player on his team to look at themselves and redefine what they are capable of. For a tight-head prop forward, Furlong just seems to be ever present on the field. He is involved in everything, and in a way that makes such an impact on the course of the game."
Lock: James Ryan (Ireland)
Lock: Alun Wyn Jones (Wales)
Flanker: Peter O'Mahony (Ireland)
Flanker: Justin Tipuric (Wales)
"Most players influence a match either through sheer weight of unseen work or a couple of game-changing moments or big plays. But Tipuric seems to do both. He is relentlessly busy around the park, but also has the pace, ball-handling skills and breakdown knowhow to produce decisive passages of play."
