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Ireland Rugby League 2008. Author paddynapper.

25 Best Irish Rugby Players

The Ireland national team is classified by World Rugby to be in the first tier. The team participates in the Six Nations Championship every year against Europe’s traditional rugby powers. Every four years the British and Irish Lions go on tour with players from Ireland as well as England, Scotland, and Wales.

The IRFU also fields the Ireland national rugby sevens team. The sevens team competes in qualifying events for major quadrennial tournaments 鈥� the Olympics and the Rugby World Cup Sevens. The sevens team also competes in qualifying for the World Rugby Sevens Series. This calls for the best teams to be selected to represent the country in these tours

Here we compile for you a list of the 25 Best Irish Rugby Players

1. Johnny Sexton

Johnny Sexton. Author Warwick Gastinger

He is one of the most capped Irish players of all time. The Irish captain is a rugby icon who made his international debut in 2009 against Fiji and has spent most of his playing career at the club level at Leinster, where he won the European Cup in 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2018. He has also been to France playing for Racing 92 between 2013 and 2015. He has also represented Ireland at three Rugby World Cup competitions already, at the 2011, 2015, and 2019 editions.

One of his memorable moments was in 2023 when he featured in the three-Test series against New Zealand with his superb performance winning him admiration from most of the fans and players alike. His style of defensive play and impact passing when in attack makes him the best in Ireland. He is the most preferred place-kicker for both club and country.

Recently, he confirmed that he will be retiring after the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France after signing an IRFU contract extension.

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2. Tadhg Furlong

Tadhg Furlong is one of the dependable players at Leinster club in the Irish League. His preferred position is a tighthead prop. Internationally, Furlong has represented Ireland in the 2015 Rugby World Cup and the 2017 and 2021 Six Nations Championships. He is an elite scrummager with excellent ball handling and running skills and is considered one of the best front-row forwards in world rugby. He is also identified by his throwing skip passes, side-stepping backs, or playing scrumhalf.

3. Tadhg Beirne

Tadhg Gerard Beirne is another player who would comfortably fit in this list of 25 Best Irish Rugby Players. He is currently playing for Munster in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup and is always utilized as a lock where he performs his magic and can also switch to playing in the back-row. For a while, in 2022 he had been sidelined by injury but rose back after four months and produced top form in the subsequent matches cementing his position as one of the top rugby players in the Irish league.

4. Josh van der Flier

Josh van der Flier. Author ESPN Scrum.

Going into the 2022-2023 season, Josh van der Flier was very impressive in all the games that he featured in and currently plays for Irish giants Leinster and Ireland national team. A multi-talented player his preferred position is flanker but plays at other positions if needed. He is commonly referred to amongst Leinster Rugby circles as 鈥楾he Dutch Disciple鈥� Following the 2022 Champions Cup final Van der Flier became the third Leinster player to win European player of the year, after Sean O鈥橞rien (2011) and Rob Kearney (2012). In June 2022 he was named Leinster’s 2021鈥�22 Men’s Player of the Year.

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5. Caelan Doris

Rugby posts. Photo by Thomas Serer on

Caelan Doris is an Irish rugby union player for URC and European Rugby Champions Cup side Leinster. He plays as a number 8 or flanker. A regular in the team, he delivered one of his best performances when playing for Ireland against All Blacks. He has previously played for Ireland Under-20s in both 2017 and 2018, captaining them in the 2018 World Rugby Under-20 Championship. Despite a poor campaign from Ireland, he was one of the standout players of the tournament.

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6. Jamison Gibson-Park

RugbyPhoto by Alex Motoc on

Jamison Ratu Gibson-Park is a rugby union player who plays as a scrum half. Born in New Zealand, he plays for Leinster Rugby and represents Ireland after qualifying through the three-year residency rule. He has also represented the M膩ori All Blacks. His nickname is “Gypsy Danger” after the character in the film Pacific Rim.

He made his provincial debut in 2012 and his strong performances saw him named in the Blues squad for 2013, 2014, and 2015 Super Rugby seasons; he also played for the Wellington-based Super Rugby franchise the Hurricanes.

7. Robbie Henshaw

Rugby Ball. Photo by Jiachen Lin on

This list cannot be complete without mentioning the name Robbie Henshaw. A dynamic center and fullback, he is one of Ireland鈥檚 finest players and a darling of the Irish and Leinster fans. He has had successes both at the club level and playing internationally for Ireland where he has made a name for himself. He played for several Ireland representative teams throughout his youth and was capped by the first team in 2013 and has made more than 50 appearances since then for Ireland.

With some of his best years still ahead of him, we can鈥檛 wait to see what else Robbie Henshaw can achieve in the game.

8. Andrew Porter

Andrew Porter is an established rugby union player for Leinster and Ireland. He plays as a prop and is able to cover both loose head and tight head. He is noted for his strength and power. He could squat 350 kg (772 lb), making him already one of the strongest rugby players in the world, when he was aged just 20 and in his first year under professional contract. He is also known for his surprising speed and mobility in the loose, as evidenced by his making a break and scoring a try from inside his own half in the 2015鈥�16 season for UCD in the AIL League

9. Peter O’Mahony

Peter O’Mahony plays for Munster in the United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup and Ireland internationally. A leader in his own rights has also captained Presentation Brothers College, Ireland U18, Ireland U20, Munster, Ireland, and the British & Irish Lions. His preferred position is a flanker, though, he can also play at number 8, and represents Cork Constitution in the All-Ireland League.

10. James Ryan

James RyanAuthor https://www.flickr.com/photos/naparazzi/.

James Ryan is an Irish rugby union player who plays as a lock for Irish United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup side Leinster. The now-retired player previously played for the Highlanders in Super Rugby and for Otago in the National Provincial Championship.

2005 was a great year for him. He was labeled by former All-Black coach Laurie Mains as “potentially one of the great All-Black locks”. However, in April 2007 a serious knee injury forced him to end his rugby career prematurely despite having a promising future in the game.

11. Hugo Keenan

Hugo Keenan is another player who cannot go unnoticed. He plays as a fullback or wing with Leinster Rugby, and with the Ireland national rugby union team. He also formerly played fly-half for the Ireland national rugby sevens team. Keenan was part of the Ireland sevens team during the 2017 Grand Prix Series where he scored several tries during Ireland’s win at the 2017 Moscow Sevens, including a crucial try in Ireland’s 28鈥�21 semifinal win over Russia.

His sterling performance saw him debut for Ireland on 24 October 2020 in a Six Nations match against Italy, where he started on the wing and scored two tries in a 50-17 win. He went on to feature in Ireland鈥檚 next 17 internationals (2020-2022), scoring tries against Georgia, Italy, the USA, England, and New Zealand. His best performance that won him admiration came from Ireland鈥檚 win against England in the 2022 Six Nations. He was even touted to be the heir to Rob Kearney at fullback for Ireland.

12. Dan Sheehan

Dan Sheehan currently plays for United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup side Leinster. His preferred position is a hooker.

He produced a brilliant performance in the final match of the 2022 Six Nations. He scored a try and won the player-of-the-match award in Ireland’s 26鈥�5 victory over Scotland, clinching their 12th triple crown. He was also nominated for the 2022 World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year.

13. James Lowe

James Francis Rawiri Lowe plays as a wing or fullback for Leinster Rugby and represents Ireland after qualifying through the three-year residency rule. He has also represented the M膩ori All Blacks.

One of the pillars of the Irish Rugby Team, his left boot is a key part of the Irish game plan.

14. Bundee Aki

Bundee Aki plays for Connacht in the URC and the Ireland national team. He was born and grew up in New Zealand and is of Samoan descent. However, he qualified to play for Ireland through residency. His preferred position is center.  

Aki has won a Super Rugby title with the Chiefs and a Pro12 title with Connacht. For the 2015鈥�16 season, he was named the league’s player of the season. Aki was selected to represent the British and Irish Lions for their 2021 tour to South Africa.

15. Garry Ringrose

Garry Ringrose is an Irish rugby union player for Leinster and the Ireland national rugby union team. He usually plays in the Centre. In the 2022-2023 season, he improved his game and cemented his position both at the club and international levels.

16. Mack Hansen

Mackenzie Hansen plays for Connacht in the United Rugby Championship and the Irish national rugby union team. His current position is a wing, having previously also played fullback. He made his debut for the Irish national rugby team in 2022 at the Six Nations tournament.

17. Jack Conan

Jack Conan is an Irish rugby union player for Leinster Rugby and for Ireland. His preferred position is number 8. Lost his place in the starting back row to Peter O’Mahony, but still came on and played a big part in all three Tests. Will be doing all he can, next season, to get back into that starting XV.

18. Stuart McCloskey

Stuart McCloskey plays as a center for Ulster Rugby and has six caps for Ireland. As one of the dependable players at his club, he has been named player of the year twice and has twice been named on the Pro14 Dream Team. He is described as “a true cornerstone of this Ulster team, providing a rounded skillset at the inside center that includes strong ball-carrying, offloading, short and long passing, a breakdown threat, defensive communication, and even attacking kicking.

19. Finlay Bealham

Finlay Bealham primarily plays as a prop, and can also play at both tight head and loose head. He currently plays his club rugby for the Irish provincial team Connacht Rugby in the URC league. He is also part of the Irish national team.

Such a solid scrummager and a guy who has heaps of international experience now. Showed his worth in a late scrum in the Third Test against New Zealand in 2022 putting the squeeze on to allow Caelan Doris to break off to bag the scrumhalf.

20. Cian Healy

Cian Healy. Author Warwick Gastinger.

Cian Healy plays for Leinster and has also won over 100 caps for the Ireland national team. He was named as part of the Lions squad for the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia but withdrew due to injury playing only twice.

Although age is catching up with him, he is still considered to play a crucial role in his team’s success. Now settled into his role as the experienced finisher, relieving Andrew Porter, and rock-steady in the scrum. Getting another 15 months out of Healy is crucial, unless another loose head, such as Josh Wycherley, stakes a claim in the 12 remaining Test matches before the World Cup.

21. Jacob Stockdale

Jacob Stockdale. Author Raymond Acheson.

Jacob Stockdale currently plays for Ulster and for Ireland. He plays on the wing or at fullback. He holds the record for tries scored in a single Six Nations Championship, scoring seven tries for Ireland in the 2018 tournament, for which he was also named Player of the Championship. His achievements include the Nevin Spence Irish Young Player of the Year award in 2018 and were also nominated for EPCR European Player of the Year in 2019.

22. Joey Carbery

Joseph Carbery plays for Munster in the United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup and for the Ireland national team. A multi-talented player, Joey can play both as a fly half and a fullback.

During the 2022 Autumn Nations Series, Carbery came in as a substitute in Ireland鈥檚 19鈥�16 win against world champions South Africa on 5 November. His exemplary performance started and score three conversions in Ireland’s 35鈥�17 win against Fiji on 12 November, though Carbery left the field with a head injury early in the second half, which meant he missed Ireland’s final fixture of the series against Australia. He will not be playing for Ireland in the 2023 Six Nations.

23. Conor Murray

Conor Murray. Author Charlie.

Conor Murray plays for Munster in the United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup. Internationally, he has represented Ireland and the British & Irish Lions, whom he captained temporarily in 2021. He plays as a scrum half and represents Garryowen in the All-Ireland League.

24. Nick Timoney

Nick Timoney plays in the back row for Ulster and Ireland. The young player is regarded as a “hybrid” player, an athletic forward with the pace of a back. He was named to the 2021鈥�22 United Rugby Championship Dream Team.

He captained Ulster for the first time on 20 February 2022 in an away win against Scarlets and made his 100th appearance for the province in the second leg of the Champions Cup round of 16 ties against Toulouse in April of the same year. He is the ultimate champion in tackles having led the United Rugby Championship in tackles with 274, 64 ahead of Ulster teammate Alan O’Connor in second place. He also led the European Rugby Champions Cup in tackles at the end of the pool stage with 78 and was nominated for Ulster’s men’s player of the year award.

25. Kieran Treadwell

Kieran Treadwell plays in the second row for Ulster and Ireland. He established himself in 2020鈥�21 making 18 appearances, including 13 starts, and 149 tackles and made his 100th appearance for the province in February 2021. Having not made an appearance for Ireland since 2017, he was called up for the 2022 Six Nations Championship and scored his first international try for Ireland in a 57鈥�6 win over Italy.