Baird able to savour second Six Nations success

In many ways, Ryan Baird is the anointed one, set to fill Ireland's number 6 shirt when captain Peter O'Mahony calls it a day.

As he casually strolls into the press conference room a good two hours after Ireland's 17-13 win over Scotland, Baird cuts a cool figure, ready and able and willing to disregard the IRFU's answer cheat sheet that too many of the players default to.

Ask the 24-year-old a question and he'll consider it, pause and then speak his mind.

"He asks the wildest questions," said Cian Healy of his Leinster team-mate during the championship.

"He could come out with anything, he could come out with a question about fishing or golf. His head just goes anywhere, it's brilliant, it's part of his make-up."

And so, after Ireland claim their sixth Six Nations title, and just 16th outright championship ever, the imposing athletic lock / flanker takes his seat in front of the battle-worn press.

Baird burst onto the scene after bursting through the Italian defence back in February of 2021 with what has now become, after 20 caps, a trademark galloping break.

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He featured in three matches in last season's campaign, starting the finale against England.

"I struggled to enjoy it last year because of some of the mistakes I made in the game and it kind of ruined it for me," says Baird of his experience of Ireland's fourth ever Grand Slam last year.

"Only when we lost last week [against England], and I was back home, my mom had framed the Maro Itoje jersey for me for Christmas [from last