OVERCOME FIRST HURDLE AND IRISH COULD EMERGE AS THE CHAMPIONS
UNBEATEN in the autumn, Leinster and Munster blazing a trail in Europe and the majority of their big guns fighting fit – Ireland are heading into the 2018 Championship in rude health.
Head coach Joe Schmidt used 36 players during a three-Test November series that saw them put the Springboks to the sword before seeing off Fiji and Argentina.
Ireland slipped up on their travels last season and will be wary of the unknown in Paris on the opening weekend.
But if they can emerge with the spoils from the Stade de France, it all points to a potential title showdown at Twickenham on Super Saturday. THE New Zealander is known as a coach who leaves no stone unturned, with Irish great Brian O’Driscoll once saying he had a “photographic memory” when it came to rugby.
His record since taking on Ireland’s hot-seat in 2013 is impressive, with an historic victory over the All Blacks in Chicago the highlight.
New Zealand rugby were keen to lure him back home with a top Super Rugby post, but the former schoolteacher has his sights firmly on leading Ireland through to the
2019 World Cup in Japan. THE Ulsterman made an outstanding return to action with a man-of-thematch display against La Rochelle earlier this month. A twice tourist with the Lions, Best is hugely respected with 106 Test caps to his name. A TOSS-UP between Murray and his halfback partner Johnny Sexton, but the Munsterman gets the nod. The best tactical No. 9 in world rugby. THE uncapped Leinster fullback has been grabbing the headlines across the Irish Sea. Check out the 20-year-old’s stunning fleet-footed try against Munster at Thomond Park last month. MUCH of the Irish game revolves around Murray and Sexton orchestrating proceedings.
They also possess enviable depth. Just look at the back-row Schmidt can select, even without injured Lions Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip.
Tadhg Furlong, arguably the best tight-head in the business, will ensure the scrum won’t hit reverse, while there is a clutch of exciting young backs like Jacob Stockdale, Larmour and Joey Carberry ready to make their mark on the Test scene. THERE don’t appear many weaknesses in the Irish squad, but they did struggle away from Dublin last season. Could their away form be their undoing again? LIONS Test star Sean O’Brien will miss at least the start of the tournament with a hip problem, as will Garry Ringrose, who has an ankle issue. IRELAND were left playing catch-up following an openingday loss at Murrayfield and after seeing their Championship hopes ended in Cardiff, they recovered to deny England a Grand Slam in Dublin to finish second, edging out France and Scotland on points difference. France (a), Italy (h), Wales (h), Scotland (h), England (a) “WE’VE got 13 players injured, missing some senior guys, like Sean O’Brien. Jared Payne, pivotal to us the last time we won the Six Nations, has only played once in the last year.
“You can always reflect on who you’re missing. You can reflect on that but you’ve got to focus on who you’ve got.” THE Lion has a number of young talents scrapping at his heels. Started against the Boks and Argentina in the autumn, he will want to show he is not ready to hand over the No.15 jersey just yet. NEW Ireland centre Bundee Aki took a year out from professional rugby in 2011 to work as a bank teller to earn money for his young family. SECOND favourites. Ireland are 15-8 for a first title since 2015, 9-2 for the Grand Slam and 3-1 for the Triple Crown. TOP two. O’Brien apart, Ireland have avoided the major injury worries of other nations and possess enviable depth. The draw also looks kind as they take on a French side starting from scratch on the opening weekend. They upset Eddie Jones’s side in the Championship finale in Dublin last season and, with a powerful set-piece, a dynamic back-row pool, experienced half-backs and an exciting array of three-quarters, will hope they can do it again at HQ this time around. The winners of this clash will probably end up as champions.