New season, new start for Ireland

Whether it be over the course of a season, a tournament, or a single match, consistency has not been one of Ireland’s strong points since their Grand Slam season of 2009.

You don’t need to look far for examples. The World Cup campaign that featured an historic win over Australia and a miserable quarter-final defeat to Wales. The oh-so-near defeat of the world champions All Blacks was followed by a record 60-0 thumping in the space of a week. The electric first Six Nations half in Paris partnered with a scoreless second and the surrender of a 17-6 lead... Ireland supporters have had to experience the best and worst of times in depressingly short periods.

Indeed the only constant of late has been defeat, four in a row, starting with that capitulation to England at Twickenham at the end of last season’s Six Nations and followed by a three-Test whitewash to New Zealand.