One imagines that Tadhg Beirne's blue scrumcap will feature heavily in Joe Schmidt’s analysis ahead of Ireland’s meeting with Australia on Saturday night (8.10pm, live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player).
The Munster captain is likely to be in the Ireland second row rather than the back row when the sides meet this weekend.
Whatever the number is on his jersey, he’ll be key to Ireland’s chances.
As a 33-year-old, the versatile forward is – on paper – at the tail end of his career, but his performances appear to be defying that.
Back in May, Beirne was voted as Rugby Players Ireland’s Player of the Year, before going on to feature on his second British and Irish Lions tour, playing every minute of a victorious Test series win against the Wallabies, after which he was named the Player of the Series.
And those displays have gone a long way to earning his latest award, after he was named Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Player of the Year this week.
"I think the main thing is that we've won the series," he says, ahead of Saturday’s rematch with the Wallabies
"You give up any personal awards to ensure that your team is winning, but they're icing on the cake being awarded that nice accolade at the end of that Lions series.
"It was, from a personal point of view, it was a huge honour to win that and something I'll probably look back in a few years and be very proud of, for sure.
"Finishing the season off with the Lions on such a high was incredible. I think that's obviously going to be the one that sticks out as such a highlight, and it will stick out as a career high for me in many years to come."
A week before the first Test in Brisbane, Beirne's place in the squad looked to be up for debate, after he had struggled to find his best form in the warm-up games.
His Ireland head coach Andy Farrell gave him his backing in the Test series though, going against form by selecting Beirne and England’s Tom Curry on the flanks of his pack, and it proved to be an inspired call.
Curry justified his place in the first Test at Suncorp Stadium, and Beirne was even better, putting in one of his best ever performances in the 27-19 win, revealing afterwards that some stern words from his head coach fuelled him to deliver.
"I think where I was at that point on the tour, mindset-wise, realistically, I was under a bit of pressure. I felt I was under a bit of pressure in terms of selection and all that kind of stuff and my performances needed to improve.
"So I kind of concentrated on different things in the game and it worked to my benefit and I've continued doing that since, preparing for games just a little bit differently. It's helped a lot, hopefully."
Beirne continued that form on his return from the Lions, channelling that same level of performance in his first game back for Munster in their 31-14 win against rivals Leinster last month, although he was left frustrated in Chicago just under two weeks ago when he was given a red card just three minutes into Ireland’s defeat to New Zealand.
That red card was later rescinded, and he was able to get some more minutes under his belt in Saturday’s win against Japan at Aviva Stadium, with attention now turning towards games with the Wallabies and Springboks, fixtures which will define the mood in the air when Ireland find out their 2027 Rugby World Cup pool opponents next month.
"I think the focus at the end of this block, the World Cup group gets selected, the draw gets selected, so we want to put our best forward for that.
"We've one eye on the World Cup, obviously, for two years' time, but it starts this November, making sure that we're in the best position in terms of rankings and to put ourselves in the best position for two years' time.
"You're always kind of looking at yourself and looking where you can improve.
"I know people probably looked at that game [against Leinster] and they've said about my turnovers and stuff, but I'm probably looking at the game differently and trying to figure out where I can even improve more.
"I think that's where my focus will be over the next couple of weeks and how I can, you know, fit into the Irish system now and implement my game as best I can to help my team-mates and Ireland itself come away with big victories."
Watch Ireland v Australia in the Quilter Nations Series on Saturday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1
