Ulster players key to RBS Six Nations success

Andrew Trimble, Tom Court, Nigel Brady, Declan Fitzpatrick, Dan Tuohy and Tommy Bowe are still involved in the race for selection and were appearing at the Guinness Press Conference ahead of a final week of intense match preparation.

Many experts see the six players as key to Ireland’s potential success this year. Their selections were no surprise given the recent form of a resurgent Ulster which has saw them climbing up the League.

Last year was a huge year for Irish Rugby, in addition to their sensational Grand Slam win, the country's first in 61 years, Declan Kidney's team went undefeated throughout the year, defeating current world champions an South Africa in November’s Guinness Series.

Despite deciding against a return to Irish soil, Tommy Bowe is still a popular choice for Kidney. The 25 year old Ulsterman looks set to start next Saturday, building on a career that has gone from strength to strength in the last 12 months.

Speaking at the Guinness Press Conference Tommy said: “I'm really excited about next week's game against Italy and it's great to be back in camp with Ireland. There is the added pressure of being defending champions this year and it's important we get off to a good start in the competition. The majority of the squad are coming off very successful European campaigns and we're hoping to bring that confidence into the RBS Six Nations Tournament.”

Playing this weekend with Ireland ‘A’, Ulster skipper Rory Best has made a remarkable recovery from a potentially career ending injury and could be in contention for the latter stages of this year’s tournament. He said: “I'm delighted to have made a return to playing ahead of schedule and owe a debt of gratitude to Ulster and Ireland's medical and strength and conditioning teams. It's great to be back in the Irish team environment preparing for the RBS Six Nations, hopefully I get the chance to make a contribution on the pitch at some point during the campaign.”

Closing the press conference, Stuart Kinch, Guinness Brand Manager, said: “This year’s tournament is a very special one for us and gives us a great opportunity to show our support for the Irish team. We’re a very proud supporter of Irish Rugby and last year’s Grand Slam has left us all keen to see a repeat this year.

“As part of this support we have launched a new rugby campaign called AREA 22 to inspire fans to get behind the Irish team. The Guinness Area 22 website enables fans to engage with Irish rugby like never before by providing them with the latest team stats, live rugby feeds, and status updates from players from within the Irish Camp including Tommy Bowe, Jerry Flannery and Jamie Heaslip, as well as innovative Facebook and iPhone apps.

“Guinness is synonymous with Irish rugby and we are delighted to be able to bring all the Ulster players together ahead of the first RBS Six Nations match. We wish them, and the entire team, all the best in their efforts to keep the trophy on Irish soil.”