There has been a long line of legendary skippers for the Irish rugby team
Ireland rugby captains are among some of the best to ever play the game. Many have led the Ireland team to Grand Slam and Six Nations titles while others have even been awarded the ultimate honour – becoming captain of the British and Irish Lions.
Since 1990, there have been eight Ireland long-term captains while others like Leo Cullen and Jamie Heaslip have filled in on a more temporary basis. Below, we reflect on the previous eight skippers, their successes and which will go down as the greatest of all.
See more: We also have guides to past All Blacks and England captains.
Ireland rugby captains through the years
Peter O’Mahony (2023 -)
Peter O’Mahony carrying the ball (Getty Images)
Peter O’Mahony had big shoes to fill in taking over from Johnny Sexton but he was already a member of the team’s leadership group. He also had experience on his side after winning his first Ireland cap in 2012.
He also had captaincy experience from his time with the British and Irish Lions. He skippered the team for a game in their 2013 tour.
O’Mahony has had success as Ireland captain with the team winning the 2024 Six Nations.
Johnny Sexton (2019-2023)
Johnny Sexton after the last game of his career (Getty Image)
Johnny Sexton skippered arguably the best Ireland team of all-time. When Andy Farrell took over the team, they developed into a winning machine.
They beat the All Blacks in New Zealand, they won the Six Nations Grand Slam and they were favourites to win the 2023 Rugby World Cup. That tournament was Sexton’s last as he retired after the competition. Despite the expectation heading into it, Ireland fell to defeat to New Zealand in the quarter-final, again.
Sexton will go down as one of Ireland’s greats and finished his Irish career with the highest points total for the team.
Rory Best (2009-2019)
Rory Best in Ireland training (Getty Images)
Rory Best was named Ireland captain for the first time in 2009 and was in a leadership role, occasionally skippering the side for years when others weren’t available. Then after Paul O’Connell retired in 2015 he took on the role more frequently and led the team at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Related: Find out when Ireland are next playing rugby here
The tournament was disappointing in terms of form and the team lost in the quarter-final to New Zealand.
During his captaincy he led Ireland to Grand Slam Six Nations victory in 2018.
Paul O’Connell (2004-2015)
Ireland’s lock and captain Paul O’Connell being tackled (Getty Images)
Paul O’Connell was another figure who had been in the leadership group for a number of years and would be named captain when others weren’t available. He was officially named captain in 2013.
O’Connell led the Ireland team to Six Nations trophies in 2014 and 2015. He was the skipper for the 2015 Rugby World Cup too but the team lost to Argentina in the quarter-final.
The forward is one of the best Ireland players of all-time. He has helped Ireland since his player retirement in the coaching staff.
Brian O’Driscoll (2002-2012)
Brian O’Driscoll in Ireland training (Getty Images)
The greats just keep coming and Brian O’Driscoll is arguably one of the best players to put on a centre jersey. He developed in his captaincy role, first being given the title in 2002 but officially named in 2004. In the first few years of his skipper career he filled in when Keith Wood was injured.
Read more: Who has captained the England rugby team?
He went on to become the most capped Ireland men’s captain ever. O’Driscoll has a total of 133 caps with 82 of them coming as captain.
During his eight-year span as skipper, Ireland won a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2009. He was also named as British and Irish Lions captain for the 2005 tour to New Zealand during this time.
Keith Wood (1996-2003)
Keith Wood scoring for Ireland (Getty Images)
One of the strengths of Keith Woods game was his leadership skills which is why he won 36 caps as skipper for Ireland.
He was a regular captain from 2000-2003 but did pick up nine caps as skipper from 1996-2000. In the times he was not captain pre-2000 Paddy Johns and Dion O’Cuinneagain took the reins.
Woods was a fixture of the team throughout the time though and played one of his greatest matches in the 1999 Rugby World Cup. He scored four tries against the USA in the pools, Ireland went on to lose to Argentina in the quarter-final.
Michael Bradley (1992-1995)
Michael Bradley passes the ball (Getty Images)
Michael Bradley was the first official captain of the professional era captaining the side 15 times throughout his three years in the role.
He is the tenth-longest serving Irish captain of all-time. Bradley has used his experience to go on to be a coach and is currently the head coach for Italian club Zebre.
There was also a two-year stint between Lenihan and Bradley in Ireland’s captaincy where many players we named on game day. Players like Rob Saunders and Terry Kingston took the role in those years.
Dónal Lenihan (1986-1990)
Donal Lenihan smiling (Getty Images)
Dónal Lenihan is the eighth-highest capped Ireland captain of all-time, tied with Fergus Slattery, with 17 caps as skipper.
He was Ireland’s captain for the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987. Lenihan played in four matches in the tournament before Ireland were knocked out by Australia in the quarter-final.
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