Ben's Beliefs: Ageing Ireland require a reboot but have very few green shoots

Amidst the drama the men's competition served up last weekend, you may have missed that in the U20s Six Nations, it was Ireland who finished bottom for the first time since the tournament's inception in 2008.

Winners of the tournament in 2022 and 2023 before finishing second last year, the Irish were a shell of their usual selves in this year's edition - picking up just one win against Scotland across the tournament.

U20 tournaments are of course more about giving players experience and providing exposure to prepare them for senior test rugby but the lack of standout players in green compared to previous years, with the likes of Sam Prendergast, Gus McCarthy and Jack Boyle, is staggering.

Head coach Neil Doak will be under pressure given he hasn't had the success his predecessor Richie Murphy enjoyed and at a time when Ireland's ageing senior squad appear to be on the decline, green shoots are more important than ever for Andy Farrell’s side.

Senior squad overflowing with veterans

A whopping 16 of Ireland's 38-man Six Nations squad were over 30.

Stalwarts Cian Healy, Conor Murray and Peter O'Mahony have played their final test matches, while the spine of their team - Jamison Gibson-Park, 33, Bundee Aki, 34, James Lowe, 32, Tadhg Beirne, 33, Tadhg Furlong, 32, Jack Conan, 32, will each have one World Cup left in them, at best.

Scrum-half shortage

There's clear depth at second row with four of Simon Easterby's squad under 30; Cormac Izuchukwu, James Ryan, Joe McCarthy and Ryan Baird, but scrum-half looks set to be the problem position with Murray moved on and Gibson-Park ageing.

Craig Casey, 25, is the only other option as it stands, therefore there may be an opportunity for someone like Ulster's promising nine, Nathan Doak, to make the rise.