This week marks the 30th anniversary of the International Rugby Board [now World Rugby] voting for the men’s game to switch from amateur status to become professional.
To mark that occasion, we are selecting our Top 30 list of the greatest Irish rugby players from the professional era (1995 to 2025).
We started off with players 30th to 16th in the list, and noted that top stars like Dan Sheehan, Donncha O’Callaghan, James Lowe and Paul Wallace had narrowly missed out. We conclude with the Top 15 best players, in our opinion, of Irish rugby’s 30-year professional era.
Ireland’s 30 Greatest Rugby Players Of The Professional Era (15 to 1)
15. Rory Best
The Ulster hooker played over 340 games for province and country, winning Ulster’s last league title (in 2006) and four Six Nations, including the 2009 and 2018 Grand Slam campaigns. Came into his own from 2010 on, after winning his duel with Jerry Flannery, and ended up captaining Ireland after the retirement of Paul O’Connell – leading from the front as they won that 2018 Slam. Became more of a try-scoring threat as his career progressed.
14. Tommy Bowe
Finished his career as an Ulster and Ospreys legend, such was his impact with both sides. Our highest ranked winger, and deservedly so. Holds the season record for most tries (club and country) with Jacob Stockdale when he ran in 20, in 2009/10. Won Players’ Young Player of the Year in 2004, Player of the Year in 2008 and 2010, three league titles, was a two-time Six Nations winner and two-time Lion.
13. Peter O’Mahony
(Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile)
One of the best back row disruptors and a true leader of men. Captained Munster as young as 21 and forced his way into the Ireland team at 22. Superb lineout jumper – securing clean ball for his side and scuffing up opposition plans. Always a nuisance around the breakdown. Won two leagues in Munster red and was a five-time Six Nations champion, leading Ireland to a Grand Slam in 2023.
12. Tadhg Beirne
The legend continued to grow on the 2025 Lions Tour to Australia. Beirne was on the brink of retiring when Leinster cut him, in 2016, and no other province showed interest. Made the most of his last chance, at Scarlets, and won a league title with them in 2017. Earned a move back to Munster, and his Ireland debut, the following year. Has become one of the most consistent international performers, under Andy Farrell and Simon Easterby. A key figure in two winning Six Nations captain, a certified Lions legend and helped Munster to 2023 league glory. Has twice made World Rugby’s Team of the Year.
11. Josh van der Flier
A solid operator that had been a key member of a dominant Leinster team and Ireland’s 2018 Grand Slam success before, in 2021, he took himself to a whole new level. Looked around at teammates and rivals in similar positions and cherry-picked their best elements to graft onto his game. Rewarded with Irish, European and World Rugby Player of the Year accolades, in 2022. Was superb in Ireland’s 2023 Grand Slam campaign, the winning tour to New Zealand and retaining that Six Nations in 2024. Rewarded with a Lions call-up, last summer, but will have been gutted to miss out on Test Series selection.
10. Sean O’Brien
When injury forced Wallace to retire, the blow was softened by O’Brien already tearing it up in the same position. ‘The Tullow Tank’ was a fearsome player – loved getting stuck in when needed, but capable of opening up in attack. Irish and European Player of the Year in 2011, O’Brien won four Heineken Cups and four league titles with Leinster. Only ended up with one Six Nations title (2015) after missing the 2014 and 2018 wins through injury. Was part of two Lions tours, including 2017 when he finally got a long overdue and deserved Test win over New Zealand.
9. David Wallace
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The term ‘Rolls Royce of a player’ was surely brought about for guys like Wallace. Younger brother of fellow Ireland internationals, Paul and Richard, David Wallace was a class-act performer and pure athlete for Munster and Ireland. Won two Heineken Cups and three league titles with his province, twice toured with the Lions and was starting openside for Ireland’s 2009 Grand Slam winners.
8. Rob Kearney
Won a staggering 11 major trophies with Leinster, including four Heineken Cups, and was starting fullback in the 2009 and 2018 Grand Slam teams. Made his Ireland debut in 2007 and bounded to world-class level in 2009, which included a stellar Lions tour to South Africa. Joe Schmidt loved to fill the defensive line with 14 bodies, often leaving Kearney to cover the entire back-field. It dulled some of his attacking prowess but took Leinster and Ireland to greater heights. Irish and European Player of the Year in 2012, and made his second Lions tour in 2013.
7. Conor Murray
Ireland’s greatest scrumhalf of the professional era, with all due respect to Jamison Gibson-Park (just outside that Top 30, right now). Murray was a World Cup bolter with Ireland in 2011, months after helping Munster to a league title. Hit world-class level in 2012 and remained there for the rest of that decade. Hit form at the right time in 2021 to become a three-time Lion, and even captained the tourists when Alun Wyn Jones recovered from a dislocated shoulder. Won five Six Nations titles, including two Slams, was Irish Player of the Year in 2017 and scrumhalf in World Rugby’s 2010-2019 ‘Team of the Decade’.
6. Ronan O’Gara
It took him a decade of hard toil, brilliant performances and heartache before his inspirational performances were rewarded with major silverware, with Munster and Ireland. King of the spiral kick and clutch drop goal, O’Gara was a tactician and talisman for Munster and helped earn Ireland respect, Triple Crowns and home wins over top southern hemisphere opposition. Helped Munster clinch the Heineken Cup holy grail, in 2006 and 2008, as well as three league titles, and kicked the winning drop goal as Ireland achieved Grand Slam glory in 2009.
5. Keith Wood
(Credit: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile)
‘Uncle Fester’ was – along with Simon Geoghegan, Nick Popplewell and Jeremy Davidson – one of our rare bright spots in a dark 1990s, where Test rugby was concerned. Already a legend with Garryowen, his club side, when rugby turned professional in 1995, he moved to Harlequins and won over a new fanbase with all-action displays. Became a Lions legend in 1997 and toured again, in 2001. A fierce, devoted Ireland captain, he once scored four tries in a single World Cup game. Won World Rugby’s inaugural Player of the Year award in 2001.
4. Tadhg Furlong
A ridiculous rugby player, in every best sense of the word. Succeeded Mike Ross in the Leinster and Ireland front row and took tighthead play to a whole new level – stepping backs, making clearing kicks, playing 9 and 10 in backline moves and tossing skip-passes. While he did all that, he impressively held down his side of the scrum and was a breakdown nuisance. Has won six major honours with Leinster, three Six Nations titles, is a three-time Lion and has been named in World Rugby’s Team of the Year on three occasions.
3. Paul O’Connell
Where to start? Was concussed and could barely remember his First Test but still scored a try in an Ireland win. Went out on his sword when severely damaging his knee when driving Ireland to victory against France in the 2015 World Cup. In between all that, he fractured his arm, for the Lions, against Australia but still finished the game out in a winning cause. A warrior, no doubt, but a fine player, too. Famously learned some Afrikaans so he could pick off Springbok lineouts during a 2009 win at fog-shrouded Croke Park. Won five major honours with Munster, three Six Nations titles with Ireland and was one of this country’s greatest ever captains.
2. Johnny Sexton
A player that made his team better, every time he laced up his boots. Teams knew all about the ‘Leinster Loop’, which was rechristened the Sexton Loop, but still could not shut it down. Played with a high attacking line that tested the best defences and was brave, to the point of reckless, when called upon to make tackles or carry into brutal places. Scored many a fine try and won plenty of matches from the kicking tee, but his drop goal to beat France in Paris, on the way to Grand Slam heaven, in 2018, was his career moment. Won 11 major trophies with Leinster, five Six Nations with Ireland [three Grand Slams], nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year three times, and won it in 2018.
1. Brian O’Driscoll
(Photo by Ray Lohan/Sportsfile)
It would want to take something, or someone, special to pip Johnny Sexton to top spot. Step forward Brian O’Driscoll. The guy that made us proud to be Irish whenever he blazed a trail on the rugby pitch, sparked belief that better days were ahead by scoring a hat-trick in a win over France and probably the only Ireland star the Kiwis could confidently name from 1999 until about 2012. Won eight major honours [three Heineken Cups] with Leinster, two Six Nations as Ireland captain, was a four-time Lion and captained the side in 2005. Ireland’s record try-scorer (46), part of World Rugby’s 2010-2019 ‘Team of the Decade’ and nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year on three occasions.
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