Byrne gets the bubbly but O’Driscoll gets Hansen plaudits

IT’S not often a hooker – unless he’s Keith Wood – tends to walk off with a bottle of bubbly from a rugby international.

But two tries down the line, Shane Byrne had the pleasure of being accorded the accolade in yesterday’s RBS Six Nations victory over Wales.

No matter that he is under severe pressure to hold his place in the side against the vigorous challenge from Frankie Sheahan; no matter that Welsh coach Steve Hansen would have given it to Irish captain Brian O’Driscoll, Byrne got the bubbly and the standing ovation he truly merited when replaced by Sheahan in the last quarter.