D'Arcy gets lions' share of website ballot

Even Gordon D'Arcy himself recognises his career curves have taken a couple of novel turns over the past few years. He was picked for Ireland as a teenager and then dropped, but a recent burst of form at outside centre in the Six Nations Championship has brought the Wexford native back on top of the heap, as evidenced by a poll conducted by the BBC Sport website.

D'Arcy has just completed his renaissance by being voted the RBS Six Nations Player of the Championship. He not only topped the poll put pulled in 50 per cent of the votes.

The second-highest vote went to the Munster and Ireland second-row Paul O'Connell, with England wing Ben Cohen taking nine per cent for third place.

D'Arcy attracted 12,000 votes, almost four times as many as O'Connell and over five times more than Cohen. Wales full back Gareth Thomas was fourth on eight per cent, and French flanker Serge Betsen fifth on six per cent.

Two tries against Scotland in Ireland's closing match of the championship as well as eye-catching performances in the other games have given the former Clongowes Wood player a profile to rival that of Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll, with whose position at outside centre he was entrusted by coach Eddie O'Sullivan, O'Driscoll moving inside.

That form, however, came from Leinster, where Gary Ella first introduced D'Arcy - long seen as a full back or wing - to the number 13 jersey this season.

"That's great news," said Ella yesterday. "I think he's been everyone's man of the series. He's been outstanding in every game in the Six Nations Championship. But I've been telling people that he's been outstanding all year. People have said 'Isn't it great he's playing well now'. I've said 'Yeah, but this is not a flash in the pan'. It's not a one-off. He's been excellent since August.

"I think the fact that he's been playing with good players has allowed him to play well and he has also done it against good opposition. He's done it week in, week out."

Ella first moved D'Arcy to outside centre when O'Driscoll was sidelined with a hamstring injury in January. Now after a breathless elevation, he is being mentioned as a likely candidate for the 2005 Lions tour, more than a year in advance.

"The Lions tour is more than 12 months down the line," says Ella. "I don't think it's something we should be talking about now. We should be looking at the rest of the Celtic League matches and then Ireland's tour to South Africa this summer."

D'Arcy seems to agree and said as much to the BBC.

"Having played for Ireland before and not really made any impact, I know I have to work even harder to stay where I am. I won't be drifting off into obscurity this time. The challenge for me now is to make sure the next time I play an international, I stay at the standard I've set.

"Six months ago, I didn't make a World Cup squad, so I wouldn't be so naive as to look that far into the future about the Lions," he said.

Getting smarter too.1, Gordon D'Arcy (Ire) ... 50%

2, Paul O'Connell (Ire) ... 13%

3, Ben Cohen (Eng) ... 9%

4, Gareth Thomas (Wal) ... 8%

5, Serge Betsen (Fra) ... 6%

Others: ... 14%