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Rugby

24th Aug 2015

VOTE: Help us decide the best Irish locks of the professional era

Spots filling up fast

Patrick McCarry

Just five positions left to fill.

Mike Ross won the best Irish tighthead poll – coming in ahead of John Hayes and Paul Wallace – to complete our front row.

The only remaining positions left to fill are in the second and back rows.

Today, we are asking you to vote for Ireland’s Greatest Locks of the Professional Era.

The top two players voted for will link up ahead of our final votes for blindside, openside and No.8.

Here are the six men to choose from. We expect one man to dominate but there are plenty of great candidates to partner him.

Mick Galwey was a giant of a man, on and off the pitch. ‘Gaillimh’ scored three tries in 41 Irish appearances and brought fighting spirit, in abundance, to their pack. Oddly, only played one World Cup game despite his 12-season international career.

The height and line-out nous Malcolm O’Kelly brought to Ireland cannot be understated. The 6′ 8″ Leinster lock broke the Irish caps record in 2005 and was named in two British & Irish Lions squads. ended up with 92 caps.

Jeremy Davidson played 32 times for Ireland and started all three Tests for the Lions in their 1997 series victory in South Africa. Saved some of his best Irish performances for Wales.

Donncha O'Callaghan and Paul O'Connell finding the going tough against Wales.

With 94 Test caps for Ireland, Donncha O’Callaghan was a virtual ever-present in the national team for a decade. The Munster man formed a superb partnership with Paul O’Connell. Five Test outings for the Lions too.

Paul O’Connell. Don’t all vote at once. The current Irish captain has 102 national caps, seven for the Lions, has scored seven tries in the green jersey and is still going strong after 14 seasons at the top. Has three Six Nations championships, including a Grand slam, to his name.

It took him a while to establish himself in the national side but Devin Toner is now one of the first names on the team-sheet. At 6′ 10″ he is a beacon at the lineout. 26 appearances for Ireland have brought 19 wins and two Six Nations winners’ medals.