Former Ireland star questions Andy Farrell Lions decision

"I'm a huge fan of Andy."

However, there is no doubt that Ireland would have stood a better chance at winning the title had one of the top coaches in world in Andy Farrell, not been on a sabbatical as he prepares to take charge of the Lions tour to Australia this summer.

Ireland would eventually finish third, behind France and England, and lose out on significant prize money, with the winner getting €7.78m, 2nd getting €4.19m, and third bringing home €2.99m.

Speaking on The Offload podcast with ex-Ireland lock Donncha O'Callaghan, former Ireland and Lions winger Tommy Bowe argued that Farrell should have stayed in charge of Ireland for the Six Nations, rather than leave to prep for a 'six-week' tour.

He said: "If Ireland were potentially to win that Six Nations, which with Andy Farrell I don't know whether he would have or not, but I definitely think there would have been a difference.

"That's €5 million that Ireland have potentially left on the table so that their head coach can go off and scout around and see the teams and, you know, plot what he's gonna do for the Lions tour.

"I'm a huge fan of Andy, I'm an absolutely massive fan of the Lions, but I do not get why the head coach has to step away from the Six Nations so that he can coach a six-week tour in the summer."