They may have fallen to defeat against England last time out, but head coach Nigel Carolan has his Wolfpuppies playing some stunning rugby.
Big wins against Italy and France were followed by a five point loss to the English on Friday night, but with each side already tasting defeat in the competition, the trophy is still very much within Ireland’s reach.
What’s more, this side are fantastic to watch.
Powerful forwards are giving as good as they get up front, while a backline bursting with skill and pace are seriously expressing themselves out on the pitch, and racking up tries along the way.
With three games played and a break until next week’s meeting with Wales in Cardiff, we’ve picked out the six future stars who have caught our eye over the past four weeks.
Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) – Centre
It’s no surprise that Ringrose is part of this list.
Shortlisted for the World U20 Player of the Year in 2014, the spotlight was on the centre – not least because he’s wearing number 13 – and he looks to be reveling in the pressure.
He’s run for 160 meters from 24 carries so far in the tournament, beating 8 tacklers along the way. He was in sublime form against the English, with this show and go setting up winger Stephen Fitzgerald to go over in the corner, while he also proved he’s also proved to be the kind of player that can create something from nothing.
His try against France was also sublime, as he intercepted from deep in his own half and outsprinted the defence to the line.
He’s been an asset in defence too, despite missing the crucial tackle in the defeat to England. He racked up 10 tackles that night in Donnybrook, the third highest on the team.
Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster) – Out half
The out-half missed three of his six kicks at goal against the English, but hit 13 out of 14 in the previous two fixtures.
He put in a flawless performance off the tee in the big win against France, nailing seven out of seven, and was deservedly man of the match. Against Italy, there was only one blemish, a remarkable statistic given that the game was played in howling wind and rain, on a pitch with more players than blades of grass.
As seen in the gif of Fitzgerald’s try above, he’s cool with the ball in his hands also, and his game management has allowed the outside backs to flourish.
Of 43 possessions against France, he kicked the ball just five times, while he was also crucial in defence, topping the tackle count with seven.
Stephen Fitzgerald (Shannon/Munster) – Winger
A joy to watch.
Whenever the camera is on the Munster winger, he always seems to be smiling. He just seems to just love playing rugby, and his enthusiasm is infectious.
Fitzgerald wasn’t involved in the tournament opener against Italy, but injury to his club and provincial team-mate Greg O’Shea – who’s also a name to keep a close eye on in the future – has handed him the opportunity to impress, and he’s grabbed it by the proverbial.
In 15 carries over two games, Fitzgerald has ran for more than 120 meters, beating five defenders and scoring two tries. It should have been three had he connected better with a Ross Byrne cross-field kick last Friday night in Donnybrook, but he made up for it later in the game, linking up with Ringrose to go over in the corner.
His try against France was even better though. A stunning individual effort.
Billy Dardis (UCD/Leinster) – Full back
The Irish backline has been playing some beautiful running rugby, and the sniping attacks of Billy Dardis have been a big part of that.
176 meters gained and two tries scored tells its own story. The full-back tops the list for the Irish going forward.
Defensively he has work to do – he missed both of his tackle attempts against France – but he’s been electric in attack.
His try against the French is one you could watch all day.
Josh Murphy (UCD/Leinster) – Flanker
Another of the side’s UCD contingent, Murphy has been getting through some real dirty work from blindside flanker.
Averaging 8 tackles a game, he’s one of Ireland’s key defenders, and he’s also been a big presence at the lineout, especially in the games against England and Italy.
Like all flankers, he’s prone to indiscipline at the breakdown, conceding three penalties against France, but overall he’s been a vital part of an effective and unchanged Irish backrow.
Rory Moloney (Buccaneers/Connacht) – Flanker
A former Irish u18 club team captain, Connacht’s Rory Moloney was impeccable in defence against England last time out, making a mammoth 15 tackles and missing none.
He reveled in the mud and rain against Italy, making 13 carries and 8 tackles, the second highest for each category, and was a deserving try scorer on the night, touching down at the end of a rolling maul.
