In the last decade or so, the sporting overlap between Cyprus and Ireland has been restricted to one of the football team's greatest humiliations, and Irish Times journalist Emmet Malone being proclaimed a hero by fans of Apoel Nicosia.
Today, however, the good people of Cyprus have reason to toast more than one Irishman. In the event you've spent the last 24 hours under a rock, Ireland beat England in the Six Nations, ending what was widely read as a world record-equalling run of eighteen victories in a row.
It turns out, however, that the record winning run in international rugby is not actually 18: it's 24, and it is held by Cyprus.
It began back in 2008, with victory over Azerbaijan, and six years later, they had won a further 23 games. The full details fo the run can be read in this brilliant Guardian piece by Simon Burnton.
Granted, the Cyprus run was not achieved against top-quality opposition, but they were thankful to Ireland nonetheless:
24 wins in a row looks even more impressive don't you think......... 👀
— Cyprus Rugby (@Cyprus_Rugby) March 18, 2017
😘💚 @IrishRugby
— Cyprus Rugby (@Cyprus_Rugby) March 18, 2017
Rude not to...... pic.twitter.com/66pzaVHRMn
— Cyprus Rugby (@Cyprus_Rugby) March 18, 2017
