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19th July 2022
02:38pm BST

"After losing 60 nil the last time I played a third Test in New Zealand, 10 years ago, if you asked me were we going to win a series here, in my career, I don't know if I would have agreed with you."O'Mahony and Jack Conan traded back-row starts during the 2021 Six Nations, but the Munster captain got the backing of Andy Farrell to start all three Tests against the All Blacks, and he did not disappoint. In our comprehensive look back on the three Tests, O'Mahony and Tadhg Beirne were just behind Josh van der Flier, in terms of overall impact across the three big games. However, in a vote put to rugby supporters, taking in all the Summer Series matches, it was O'Mahony that reigned supreme. Going up against Ellis Genge (England), Josh van der Flier (Ireland) and Ardie Savea (New Zealand), the 32-year-old took home a massive 44% of over 10,000 votes.
"I'm with Tadhg Beirne," said Karl, when casting his vote. "He stood up in the big moments, when it needed to count. On the All Blacks' line, on his own line, it didn't matter where it was on the field, the way he was going. Even with how well all the Irish are going, he stood out. And to stand out in a team like that is pretty special."Hall mentioned Eben Etzebeth and Ardie Savea as having big weekends but he, too, opted for Beirne. "Those turnovers in the 74th and 75th minutes, then winning a penalty just after, were huge," he said. "He was immense - turnovers, lineouts, set-piece disruptions, his physicality. He was all over the place."
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