Can Eddie please the style council?

ON THE eve of the Six Nations Championship, a feeling of quiet optimism has stirred the Irish rugby fraternity.

The doom and gloom that followed the performances against New Zealand and Australia last November has been replaced by a post-Heineken Cup spring in the step. We really are a nation of extremes.

This time last year there was genuine hope that Ireland could achieve a Grand Slam given that both England and France were visiting Dublin. After victories against Italy, Scotland and England, the championship petered out to a disappointing conclusion with defeats to France and Wales.