Don’t forget Tony Galvin. He’s loosening up his shoulder chip as we speak.

That said, delighted they’re staying both for club and country.

Maybe in certain positions each team has to blood an Irish player for a certain amount of game time each season?

So far he seems to be the most consistant performer at the scrum and a decent player in open play in his own right, but we certainly are getting to the stage that other younger players will need to put their hand up and get some big game experience in the green shirt to ensure that there is a wider pool of experience to fall back on in the short term, and a clear understudy to replace him in the long term.

Yes. Although not the most dynamic, he’s by far our best scrummager and can last 80 mins when asked. A real pro.

I know what you mean. He’s not a world beating TH by any means, but there really isn’t anyone else who can hold up a scrum with any consistency.

Bent was great against the Springboks, and crap against the Saxons. Fitzpatrick is injured more often than not. Hagan hasn’t built on the promise he showed at Connacht. Stephen Archer routinely gets his arse handed to him at provincial A level.