Hard work paid off for Ireland but we know we can be even better, roars Ryan Baird

Ryan Baird (left), standing with Tadhg Beirne, is confident that Ireland's best is yet to come

Ruaidhri O'Connor

Ryan Baird started the Grand Slam game against England in 2023, but when the final whistle went, he couldn’t quite get into the swing of the celebrations.

It’s taken the 24-year-old some time to fit in with the national team, but it now feels like he is a significant feature of what they’re trying to do. He made an impact in every game he played in the 2024 campaign.