Guy Easterby - a brother of Simon - seems to be offering a genuine threat to the current incumbents in the senior national squad after last Friday night's performance against England in the A international at Northampton. Winning his fifth cap, Easterby's time looked to have passed last season when, though he played in three A games, he never really threatened to go further.

The 29-year-old now looks like mounting a real challenge, a far cry from his introduction to Irish rugby with the Exiles in 1997. Later that year he won his first A cap as a replacement for Brad Free against Canada. He is a good all-round player and, like his brother Simon, is edging closer to a full cap. It should be an interesting race.