This is real uncharted territory.
In yesterday's
Six Nations predictions round-up, we revealed that 13 of 17 UK rugby pundits have tipped Joe Schmidt to lead Ireland to back to back Six Nations titles, and after The Telegraph's rugby heads revealed their choices for the championship today, Ireland look to be ever firmer favourtes with the experts.
While Ian McGeechan tipped Ireland for success last month, he seems to have flip-flopped in the past few weeks, and has opted for Wales to lift the new trophy, but while they may have lost Geech's vote, Ireland were the unanimous choice among the paper's four other rugby writers.
Former English internationals Brian Moore and Austin Healy have both backed Ireland for the title, with Moore citing Ireland's form and favourable fixture list, while Healy goes as far as saying Schmidt's men have "the best defence in international world rugby" at the moment.
Correspondents Mick Cleary and Steve James both also gave their vote to Ireland, bringing the full tally of votes among the UK media to 16 out of 21, with McGeechan's vote switching back to Wales.
Given the unprecedented air of expectation around the side at the moment, e're expecting hundreds of barstoolers to start labeling Ireland as chokers if they fail to score a try in the opening 20 minutes in Rome this weekend.
Hat-tip
The Telegraph
