2009 was the year of the Irish as they finally won the Grand Slam for the first time in decades to claim the Six Nations triumph. Ireland proved they were the best team on show and they will be looking to build on that success in 2010 by claiming the Championship once again. See here for 2009 Grand Slam Table and Result.
Ireland will start as 5/2 second favourites in the betting to win back to back Six Nations titles, although they are only rated a 6/1 chance to win a second successive Grand Slam. The Irish begin their campaign with a match against Six Nations whipping boys, Italy, at Croke Park on February 6th, which should see them get off to an emphatic winning start. See all Ireland Six Nations fixtures below.
Coach Declan Kidney has named a 44 man squad for the tournament including hooker, Rory Best and prop, Marcus Horan, who are both returning from long term injuries. The squad also includes a total of nine uncapped players.
The full squad of 44 players is as follows:
Forwards
R Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) T Buckley (Shannon/Munster), T Court (Malone/Ulster), S Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht), L Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster), S Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster), D Fitzpatrick (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*, J Flannery (Shannon/Munster), J Fogarty (De La Salle Palmerston/Leinster)*, J Hayes (Bruff/Munster), C Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), J Heaslip (Naas/Leinster), C Henry (Ballymena/Ulster)*, M Horan (Shannon/Munster), S Jennings (St.Mary's College/Leinster), K McLaughlin (UCD/Leinster)*, S O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster), D O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), P O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster), M O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster), M Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), D Ryan (Shannon/Munster), D Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)*, D Touhy (Ballymena/Ulster)*, D Wallace (Garryowen/Munster), B Wilkinson (Galwegians/Connacht)
Backs
I Boss (Ballymena/Ulster), T Bowe (Ospreys), G D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster), I Dowling(Shannon/Munster), K Earls (Young Munster/Munster), S Horgan (Boyne/Leinster), D Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster), R Kearney (UCD/Leinster), F McFadden (UCD/Leinster)*, J Murphy (Leicester)*, B O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) Captain, R O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), T O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster), E Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster), J Sexton (St.Mary's College/Leinster), P Stringer (Shannon/Munster), A Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster), P Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster).
Ireland 2010 fixtures
2010 Fixtures are as follows:
The emergence of the European Cup has definitely benefited the Irish game as it has allowed the game in Ireland to focus on provincial teams rather than club teams and this has improved the standard. Both Leinster and Munster have proved hugely successful on the European scene and they provide the majority of the National team.
The likes of Tony O’Reilly hung up his shoes to make his name in the business field and Irelands best known rugby entrepreneur.
The Irish Rugby Football Union was formed in 1874 and they played their first international against England at the Oval in London on February 15, 1875. In total Ireland have won 11 Five/Six Nations titles outright and shared eight. They have won nine Triple Crowns.
Top Irish players include Mike Gibson, Willie John McBride, Tony O'Reilly, Keith Woods, Fergus Slattery, Ollie Campbell, Tom Keirnan and current superstars Brian O'Driscoll and Ronan O'Gara.
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