Cave steps into the light

If the past three and a half years have taught Darren Cave anything it’s the virtue of patience.

As Keith Earls will attest, being an outside centre in the same era as Brian O’Driscoll has been a frustrating experience but at least the Munster man has been deployed elsewhere on the Ireland team.

Cave, though, is an out and out 13 and, since the Ulsterman earned his first call-up to a Test squad ahead of the 2009 Six Nations, chances to shine in a green jersey have been few and very far between.