An iconic side.
One of the most memorable months for Irish rugby during the 2000s came in November ’06.
The side produced some of the most eye-catching and complete play we have ever seen from an Irish team as they went unbeaten during their Autumn foray.
Wins against South Africa, Australia, and the Pacific Islanders gave Ireland belief that they could challenge for what turned out to be an ill-fated 2007 World Cup.
Ever wondered where these men ended up?
Well, 19 years later, we have had a brief look at their Ireland careers and what they are up to in 2025.
Loose head prop – Bryn Young
The Ulster prop looked destined for a long career in green after an excellent showing against South Africa at the age of 25.
Alas, the last of his last eight Ireland caps would come in 2007.
He left Ulster in 2011 for a brief spell with Italian side Cavalieri.
According to his LinkedIn, he is the director of sport at Dalriada School Ballymoney, Antrim.
Hooker – Rory Best
Few would not have predicted back in 2006 the career he would go on to have.
124 caps for Ireland, with many as captain, over 200 for Ulster, and two Lions tours.
He is now a manager at R&J Best Farms, breeding Aberdeen Angus cattle, and is a business development manager at the insurance distribution platform, The Ardonagh Group.
Tight head prop – John Hayes
An icon of Irish and Munster rugby, and the first player to reach 100 caps for Ireland.
By 2006 he was well into his international career, but would truck on with his country until 2011.
As of 2022, the ‘Bull’ Hayes was working on the family farm in Cappamore, County Limerick, rearing Irish Hereford cows, as well as coaching with Bruff RFC.
Lock – Donncha O’Callaghan
The joker of the side, but also the man to be found in the trenches, and famous for the ‘unseen work’.
He is now one of the most prominent pundits in Ireland, doing TV work as well as co-hosting hugely popular The Offload podcast with his former Ireland teammate Tommy Bowe.
He is also a long-running ambassador for UNICEF Ireland, and is a founder of the digital advertising company, 4Impacts.
Lock – Paul O’Connell
There’s nothing that hasn’t already been said about one of the best to ever play the game.
Currently Ireland’s forwards coach, and filled in as interim head coach over the summer while Andy Farrell and Simon Easterby were away with the Lions.
Blindside flanker – Neil Best
For two years, in 2006 and 2007, Best was one of the most destructive backrowers in the game.
On commentary during the Australia match, Keith Wood described him as looking “a bit mad”, such was the feral nature with which he was playing.
He moved from Ulster to Northampton in 2008 and his Ireland career petered out.
He now lives in Singapore and is a director with the risk and claims administration partner, Sedgwick, while also working with the British Rugby Club and Singapore Irish Rugby Club.
Openside flanker – David Wallace
Another Ireland great, but one who was hugely underrated outside of his home country.
After suffering a career-ending injury against England in 2015, Wallace has held various roles for the likes of Bank of Ireland and STATSports.
He is now the chief commercial officer with the real estate and construction company, Catalyst.
Number eight – Denis Leamy
Another underrated Munster legend.
Leamy was one of the meanest players to ever pull on the Irish jersey, and amassed a commendable 57 caps.
Upon retirement in 2012, he took up coaching, eventually working with the Ireland U20s and then Leinster.
He returned to Munster as their defence coach in 2022 and remains in the role.
Scrum-half – Peter Stringer
The passing God kept himself in incredible shape in the latter part of his career, allowing him a successful bookend in the Premiership.
During and after his years with Munster, he lined out for Saracens, Newcastle, Bath, and Sale, before ending his career at 40 with Worcester.
Unsurprisingly, he works in personal fitness as co-owner of F45 Training in Cork and is CEO and founder of BODYPLAN by Peter Stringer.
Left wing – Denis Hickie
What Ireland would do right now for a man with Hickie’s pace.
The Leinster flyer was coming towards the end of his career in ’06 – he retired the next year at the relatively young age of 31 – but showed that he still had the finishing touch, with a great score against Australia.
He is currently managing director at the industrial machinery manufacturers, ATA.
Inside centre – Gordon D’Arcy
The first half of Ireland’s iconic centre partnership.
D’Arcy has his fingers in many pies; a columnist for the Irish Times, account executive at Lockton insurance brokers, various TV punditry gigs, and co-author of children’s book Gordon’s Game.
Outside centre – Brian O’Driscoll
Ireland’s greatest of all time.
BOD has nearly too many jobs to list.
He does regular punditry work for the likes of TNT Sports, ITV, and Off the Ball, and, of course, the standard ex-rugby player speaking gigs.
Many are familiar with his work as a HSBC brand ambassador, while he is also a board member for World Rugby and the International Rugby Players Association.
You can see his full list of roles here.
Right wing – Shane Horgan
‘Shaggy’ was the scorer of many of Ireland’s iconic tries from the era.
He comes from one of Dublin’s most talented families, with his brother Mark one of the faces behind the Second Captains, and sister Sharon the creator and one of the stars in Apple TV’s Bad Sisters.
Horgan is a regular contributor to Second Captains, and a rugby pundit with Virgin Media TV.
He has worked for Soccer Aid Productions for over seven years, and is currently managing director with them.
Fullback – Girvan Dempsey
‘Girv the Swerve’ was a mainstay of the Ireland team during the 2000s, amassing 82 caps from his debut in 1998 up until 2008.
He was appointed as Leinster Academy manager in 2012, before taking over as back coach with the main squad, with whom he won the 2018 Champions Cup.
He then became attack coach with Bath before moving to Collegiate School as Head of Rugby in 2021.
In September he began his new job as head of sport and director of rugby at Prior Park College in Bath.
