Ireland's unbeaten Six Nations run continued on Saturday with an eleven-point victory over Wales that kept their dreams of an unprecedented three-peat and Grand Slam alive.
It was far from the vintage performances we've seen from Ireland so far in this tournament, but ultimately with a full complement of players on the field, and Sam Prendergast's kicking boot laced up Ireland managed out a win - over turning an eight-point second-half deficit through a Jamie Osbourne try and four Prendergast penalties.
On a day when Ireland were by their own exceptionally high standards far below par, and the inexperience of its younger stars and debutants looked more evident than it had at any other stage in this tournament, the mettle of Ireland's experience could not have been more important.
Nowhere was that more evident than in the man-of-the-match performance of Jamison Gibson-Park, who despite one obvious second-half error, dictated the pace of Ireland's attack throughout, relieved pressure on the Irish defence at crucial times and as always led from the front in his workrate.
22 February 2025; James Lowe, left, and Jamison Gibson-Park of Ireland after the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship match between Wales and Ireland at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
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John Barclay makes entirely unexpected Gibson-Park claim
While it's not unusual to hear pundits and fans class Jamison Gibson-Park as the second-best scrumhalf in the world behind Antoine Dupont, Scotland legend John Barclay feels even that is too low an accolade for the Leinster man.
Speaking on BBC Rugby Union Weekly, the 76-capped Scotsman could not have heaped much more praise on Gibson-Park, revealing his belief that he is actually the second-best player in the world as it stands.
You talk about why he's (Prendergast) is so good at a young age, I think Jamison Gibson-Park is the second best player in the world, I really do, I think he's that good.
They were 18-10 down with thirty minutes to play and they scored 17 unanswered points, and it wasn't amazing rugby. It was apply pressure, it was kicking game and you look at JGP, two or three fifty or sixty minute box kicks, Prendergast has the same, Aki.
Interestingly, Barclay also revealed his belief that the impact of Jamison Gibson-Park and a host of Ireland's other experienced stars play a large part in making Prendergast's on-field game management look so impressive.
He (Prendergast), is unbelievably talented with skill set and all that, but you've got Gibson-Park making decisions inside and Jack Conan who we've chatted about and Caelan Doris, the spine of the team and then you've got Bundee Aki the other side of him. The decision making either side of him, if you're going tro go into na team and have that level of esxperince and understanding of how to manage a game, that's why it looks so effortless to him I think.
While Gibson-Park's influence on these shores has never been in doubt, it is unbelievably high praise from Barclay, who has the Irish nine up there with the calibre of South Africa's back-to-back World Cup-winning players and the always-formidable conveyor belt of world-class players emerging from New Zealand, both of whom may take objection to their exclusion from the top two.
Regardless, the Leinster scrumhalf is now well on his way to a third successive Six Nations title, with only the undeniable world number one Antoine Dupont and Italy lying in his way.
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