The Fijian free spirit who'd walk onto the Irish team

Bring up the subject of Fijian rugby and the name Leone Nakarawa will not take to long to get an airing.

The 29-year-old forward, who will face Ireland from Fiji’s second row at Aviva Stadium today, is as ubiquitous in any such conversation as he is on the pitch, thanks to the athleticism, power and instinctive approach to the game that underpins a wondrous skill set.

Not for nothing is Nakarawa the king of the offload. His ability to maintain continuity in attack and defences stretched by sucking in tacklers and distributing quick ball on the move is the stuff of legend and has earned him an Olympic gold medal for Fiji on the introduction of Sevens to the summer games in Rio as well as a fat contract in France with Racing 92, for whom he signed from Glasgow Warriors in the summer of 2016.