Looking at the Ireland squad that is going to the 2023 Rugby World Cup, it's fair to say that we have never previously had such a depth of talent in this country.
There is no doubt that there has been a huge amount of Irish talent to emerge over the last few decades, although the production line at provincial level has stepped up quite a bit in recent times. Whereas there has always been a few top class talents in the side, the amount of quality test level players available for selection is now at an all-time high.
That should bode well for their chances of performing well at the tournament, although success is far from a guarantee considering the tough draw they have been handed.
While Irish fans will be pleased with the talent available to Andy Farrell in France, it is interesting to see how those outside the country view what the squad has to offer.
Six Ireland stars included in top 20 players in the world list
Ahead of the Rugby World Cup, The Telegraph have been doing a countdown of their current top 100 players in the game at the moment. That series of articles has now reached the top 20, with six Irish players included on that tier.
Caelan Doris is ranked the highest, with the back row coming in fifth. Tadhg Beirne (seventh), Hugo Keenan (tenth), Dan Sheehan (11th), James Ryan (12th), and Johnny Sexton (14th) are the other Irish inclusions.
Unsurprisingly, Frenchman Antoine Dupont is named as the best player in the world, with Eben Etzebeth (South Africa), Ardie Savea (New Zealand), and Gregory Aldritt (France) rounding out the top five alongside Doris.
You can read the article in full here.
It is fantastic to see Doris get the recognition his play has deserved, with a top five finish testament to the way he has performed over the last couple of years.
In terms of Ireland players who were a tad unfortunate to miss out on the top 20, Josh van der Flier and Tadhg Furlong immediately spring to mind, with those two among the best in the world in their respective positions.
Still, having six players on a list such as this points towards the quality in the Ireland squad at the moment. Hopefully they can make the most of that in the weeks ahead as they aim to make a deep run at the World Cup.
SEE ALSO: Former Ireland Fullback Fears Andy Farrell's Team Will Flop At Rugby World Cup
