Mike Ross convinced Ireland moving in the right direction

Mike Ross at the launch ISPCC Childline’s ‘Team Of Us-Together for Childline’ competition. The competition gives Irish Rugby supporters the chance to win one of the players’ signed matchday jerseys from the 23-man squad that will face England. To be in with a chance of winning one of the jerseys, simply make a donation of at least €10 to ISPCC Childline at idonate.ie/teamofus. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie

Mike Ross understands how fickle public perception of Irish rugby success can be and that that it will be viewed through the prism of this Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations finale against England.

Yet the former Ireland tighthead prop believes the current squad is heading in the right direction under head coach Andy Farrell and the performance in victory over Scotland at Murrayfield has shown him enough to suggest that if the Irish management can combine all the facets consistently over 80 minutes they could be a team of more than the sum of its parts.