Ireland need Sean O’Brien and Rob Kearney back in the mix for Paris

If the opening two contests of this season’s RBS Six Nations disappointed to some degree, yesterday’s amazing clash in Dublin served to restore everyone’s faith in northern hemisphere rugby.

Ireland and Wales have served up some breathtaking battles over the last few seasons, but this one was special. It was a match that both sides refused to lose, but just couldn’t manage to win. A draw is a horrible result in many ways as it removes the possibility of a Grand Slam or Triple Crown as early as the opening day but the consolation is there is still so much to play for.

The possibility of a third consecutive championship is still very much alive and over the course of the next few days the players on both sides, whose immediate reaction on the final whistle was one of intense disappointment, will come to realise that.