AUTUMN HEROICS PUT ON A HIGH HEADING INTO CHAMPIONSHIP

COACH: JOE SCHMIDT: The Kiwi is renowned for his tactical insight with a sharp rugby brain able to probe weaknesses in opposition and put together game-plans to minute detail. Little wonder the IRFU were desperate to keep him on board through to the next World Cup. CAPTAIN: RORY BEST: A Lions captaincy front-runner, especially after Warren Gatland singled out the Ulster hooker for the way he led his country during the autumn series. KEY MAN: CONOR MURRAY: Munster scrum-half is a huge influence for province and county. A major cog in Ireland’s gameplan with his astute tactical kicking and threat around the fringes. The YOUNGSTER TO WATCH: GARRY RINGROSE: The Leinsterman dubbed ‘The new O’Driscoll’ burst onto the Test arena in November and with Jared Payne currently sidelined by injury, the 22-year-old has the chance to live up to the billing. STRENGTHS: Players in form, plenty of them. Munster and Leinster have revisited the golden days in Europe, while the squad will be fuelled by the huge belief and confidence gained by ending 111 years of hurt against New Zealand. They have experience through the spine of the side, with arguably the best half-back combo in the Championship. Lions contenders everywhere. WEAKNESSES: Ireland struggled to cope with injuries last season, U NFLUSTERED, confident, assured; Joe Schmidt cut an impressive figure in front of the assembled media at this week’s Six Nations launch at London’s Hurlingham Club. It was the look of a head coach comfortable with his lot heading into the 2017 Championship — to use a well-worn sporting parlance, ‘Ireland are in a good place’. One of the sporting results of 2016, the historic 40-29 November victory over the All Blacks in Chicago, will still be fresh in everyone’s memory, and this year Schmidt doesn’t have the injury concerns that hamstrung last season’s campaign. He boasts key players in pivotal positions, men in form, a winning habit and belief seeping through the squad. Like the events of Wednesday, he will also be happy for others to soak up the limelight before a potential Dublin shoot-out against England on the final weekend. suggesting they don’t possess the same depth in certain positions as England. Is there an overreliance on Johnny Sexton and Murray? The centre partnership is brimming with youthful ambition, but is still in its infancy. KEY INJURIES: Ireland are hopeful that fly-half Sexton will be fit for the Murrayfield opener, with flanker Sean O’Brien also battling to overcome a calf injury. Hooker Sean Cronin is out with a hamstring injury. Also sidelined are Jared Payne and Joey Carbery. LAST TIME OUT: An injury-hit side defied the pre-tournament predictions to claim a draw against Wales, but a narrow defeat in Paris and a loss at Twickenham ended any title hopes. Wins over Italy and the Scots in Dublin saw Schmidt’s men end up third. ORDER OF GAMES: Scotland (Edinburgh), Italy (Rome), France (Dublin), Wales (Cardiff), England (Dublin) WHAT THE COACH SAYS: “A toptwo finish would be great. I know last year I said a top-three finish would be good, given where we were at the time. But I think we’ve got to strive to get in that top two again now though. It’s hard to say anything beyond that, because I think this Six Nations will be the most competitive I’ll have been involved in.” WHAT MOOD ARE THE FANS IN: Buoyed by that result in Chicago and the European success of Leinster and Munster, the Guinness is being downed from a glass way fuller than half. LIONS CERTAINTIES: Johnny Sexton, Connor Murray, Rory Best, Jack McGrath, Tadhg Furlong, Robbie Henshaw, CJ Stander. LIONS HOPEFULS: Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip, Simon Zebo, Devin Toner, Iain Henderson, Josh van der Flier, Rob Kearney, Garry Ringrose, Ultan Dillane, Peter O’Mahony. AN OUTSIDE LIONS BOLTER OUT TO WOW GATLAND: Garry Ringrose – there is no outstanding candidate for the No. 13 jersey in New Zealand, what odds on BOD Mk II? DID YOU KNOW: Brian O’Driscoll has been named Six Nations player of the tournament on three occasions, no other player has taken the gong more than once. BOOKIES PREDICTION: 5-2 on Ireland lifting the trophy seems to be the popular bet. One bookie has them as short as 4-1 to complete only a third full house. ROB LLOYD