Jacob Stockdale: An old head on young shoulders

Even watching from the family sofa, Jacob Stockdale could see that Six Nations rugby was at a different level to anything else in the game.

Twelve months on, the Ireland wing is right in the thick of it and learning that the high-intensity nature of this grand old championship is not just confined to match days.

Stockdale, 21, wins his seventh Test cap today when he starts in the number 11 jersey against Wales at the Aviva Stadium and will take to the field with a new Ulster contract signed this week and all the confidence in the world that he can extend his remarkable try-scoring record of six tries in as many internationals and also deal with the attacking threat of opposing wing Liam Williams.