Grass is very much greener after this

SIX NATIONS TEAM OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP

SELECTING 11 Irishmen in the team of the championship is not an e xercise r ooted i n greentinted analysis, it is a true reflection of a tournament where Ireland were comfortably ahead of all rivals.

Indeed, such was Ireland’s dominance under Joe Schmidt, there is a powerful argument to go with an entirely green 15 and it was hard to leave out captain Rory Best in particular.

However, it would be equally hard to argue that this selection was not merited on the back of some outstanding performances over seven compelling weeks.

15 ROB KEARNEY (IRELAND)

IT’S not that long since the Joe Schmidt’s loyalty to his veteran full-back was being questioned — no one is challenging it now. A man for the big occasion, Kearney is now Irish rugby’s most decorated player — three European Cups, four Six Nations titles, two Grand Slams — and was superb throughout.

14 KEITH EARLS (IRELAND)

TEDDY THOMAS was in the mix until he went on the lash in Scotland, leaving the way clear for the rejuvenated Earls. The Limerick man may not have been able to match the extraordinary strikerate of his team-mate on the other wing but oozed energy and menace whenever he got possession.

13 GARRY RINGROSE (IRELAND)

THE fact he only played the last two games of the Grand Slam run- in testifies to Ringrose’s extraordinary i mpact when dropped straight in after injury. It was not just the mesmeric footwork that consistently propelled him into space, the Leinster centre’s exemplary defensive work set him apart also.

12 HUW JONES (SCOTLAND)

A BIT of a cheat because, like Ringrose, Jones flourished in the outside slot but he was too good to leave out. Sensational against England, Jones’ speed, power and angled running troubled every defence he faced. Bulky enough for the No12, a Jones-Ringrose- Jones could be dynamite for the Lions.

11 JACOB STOCKDALE (IRELAND)

NEVER was the term ‘baby-faced assassin’ so applicable to rugby. Stockdale’s lethal eye for the tryline trumped any defensive concerns and the stats — seven tries in five Six Nations outings, 11 tries from nine internationals — have turned the Ulster man from promising youngster into national icon in his breakthrough season.

10 JOHNNY SEXTON (IRELAND)

THIS was the season where Sexton finally stepped out of the shadow of Ronan O’Gara. It took one of the most extraordinary acts of skill and resolve the game has seen (the winning drop goal in Paris) to confirm, augmenting his inspirational role driving Ireland to the Grand Slam, Sexton’s status as the finest 10 Ireland has produced.

9 CONOR MURRAY (IRELAND)

HISTORICALLY a position where Ireland have struggled for world-class options, Murray has redefined the scrum-half role in Irish rugby from out-half facilita- tor to auxiliary leader. Teams targeted Murray throughout the championship but were powerless to reduce the influence of a player justifiably lauded as world’s best No9.

1 CIAN HEALY (IRELAND)

COMPETITION f r om Jack McGrath has pushed Healy back to the explosive levels of performance that characterised his early career. Mako Vunipola and Jefferson Poirot had their moments for England and France respectively but neither could match the consistent impact of Ireland’s loosehead on the back of his relentless graft.

2 GUILHEM GUIRADO (FRANCE)

IRELAND captain Rory Best was as dependable as ever and Stuart McInally put his backrow experience to good use for the Scots but Guirado was his side’s best player throughout their incon- sistent tournament. France are a work in progress but Guirado is an excellent starting point as they build towards the World Cup.

3 TADHG FURLONG (IRELAND)

ALREADY rightly acclaimed as Ireland’s greatest tighthead, the Wexford man has become the ultimate modern, multi-tasking prop. We knew Furlong could scrum, tackle and carry to worldclass levels, but until his critical role in CJ Stander’s try in Twickenham, we did not know he had O’Driscoll-esque sleight of hand.

4 JAMES RYAN (IRELAND)

SECOND ROWS are meant to peak in their late 20s and early 30s, after they grow into their sizeable frames — Ryan is 21 and already rated among the top locks in the game. In many ways, the Leinster man is the poster boy for the Schmidt template — hard-working, skilful, relentlessly physical and a natural winner.

5 MARO ITOJE (ENGLAND)

AFTER a slow start to the tournament, Itoje was the victim of ‘second- season syndrome’ dismissals, put down to tiredness on the back of his Lions exertions last summer. However, this did not do justice to his consistently effective contributions even as England began to implode: a rallying figure for a team in decline.

6 P PETER O’MAHONY (IRELAND)

TOO much weight is put on stats when rating modern-day players and O’Mahony is so much more than his number of carries, tackles or turnovers. Richard Hill is the best blindside the game has seen and O’Mahony comes from the same school — ceaseless toil in pursuit of collective glory.

7 D DAN LEAVY (IRELAND)

HAMISH WATSON was excellent and Josh Navidi had some fine moments for Wales but, in the absence of Sean O’Brien, Leavy was a revelation when called in for the unfortunate Josh van der Flier. This is a golden age for Ireland opensides and Leavy will be hard to budge now.

8 J JOHN BARCLAY (SCOTLAND)

THREE wins from five was a decent return in Gregor Townsend’s first Six Nations as head coach and his veteran captain was at the centre of their best moments against England France. So much so, that he deserves to move across from the blindside to the middle of the backrow, just pipping the tireless CJ Stander.