15 Rob Kearney proved many wrong. A premature narrative framed Carbery and then Larmour as the Leinster and even Ireland fullback in waiting, but Zebo's Racing 92 move ended debate about national selection while this coincided with a return to career-defining form by a 32-year-old who is Ireland's greatest ever 15. Two Grand Slams and four European winners medals makes him the most successful
14 Isa Nacewa, beginning in 2008 with fracturedforearm dangling in the wind as he kept making body flinging tackles, ends on one leg. The torch is passed to Larmour, but Fergus McFadden will helpfully challenge the wunderkind's easy passage into the Leinster XV. But the Nacewa factor, sans knee cartilage, cannot be overstated as Ireland's greatest overseas recruit kicked winning goals in Bilbao.
13 Garry Ringrose returned from double shoulder and ankle surgeries, after Henshaw's defensively impressive but less natural stint at outside centre, to remind all how crucial he is; the Twickenham try and Zebo smash go up in lights but it's his sweeping, non-contact activity that keeps Leinster and Ireland in so many fights. Honourable mention for Rory O'Loughlin.
12 Robbie Henshaw's 10-week recovery from shoulder surgery could not deny this 24-year -old Lion from ticking every career box outside winning the World Cup. Defensive heroics married with penetrative carries in the semi-final dismissal of Scarlets. The Wallaby series may come too soon, but an Ireland decision is looming when Aki and Henshaw are available.
11 James Lowe has special powers; an offloading left wing with 10 tries in blue to signal the beginning of a great club career that should be transferred into an international presence from 2020. Barry Daly's injury-interrupted 13 tries from 13 starts makes him a valuable member of Leo Cullen's 55-man panel.
10 Johnny Sexton showed for 12 Leinster games (127 points) but they were the seminal moments (except for his forced departure three minutes into the victory over Exeter in Dublin). Ross Byrne's 26 appearances yielded 134 points. Time and again Cullen preferred Byrne over Carbery. On many occasions, Carbery was injured or unavailable and come the final days Byrne was water boy.
9 Luke McGrath has yet to turn Joe Schmidt into a true believer, but the Leinster management have installed this 25-year-old as a leader. McGrath became the most important figure in the group when his ankle injury against Saracens forced Leinster into the messy choice between Lowe and Jamison Gibson-Park. Patrick Patterson and Hugh O'Sullivan have real potential but McGrath has made a quantum leap.
1 Cian Healy or Jack McGrath? The debate quietened with McGrath punished, by Healy, for missing a clean run into the season because he was recuperating from Lions duty. Focusing Healy's ire proved a powerful weapon for Leinster; the most decorated prop in Irish history grows into his veteran role but the rise of Ed Byrne shows the position is overstocked, with Peter Dooley wasted as fourth choice.
2 Sean Cronin was dropped from the Ireland squad in November despite his form never obviously dipping, but his reaction proved the mark of the player. Outstanding off the Irish bench and starting for Leinster – James Tracy finally landed a blow with his game defining turnover against Munster – to put Ireland captain Rory Best under real pressure. Bryan Byrne deserves more exposure.
3 Tadhg Furlong could be put under the same strain in blue, green and maybe red that Healy experienced when McGrath came up. Furlong responded from what looked a jaded performance in Bilbao to smash the lights out of Munster and Scarlets, but Andrew Porter only moved into the most demanding position in the game 18 months ago. Jack Aungier and Vakh Abdaladze simmer nicely beneath the surface.
4 Devin Toner featured in 31 games this season and clocks 32 years this summer, so his best season in a remarkably durable career should lie ahead. The other Leinster locks are of little threat, with Ross Molony a Cullen favourite when the internationals are away, while Scott Fardy has become a player-coach and leader, outstanding when released to blindside in the knockout stages of Europe.
5 James Ryan has astonishing tackle and carry counts – constantly in double figures. The 21-year-old refused to lose in 23 professional rugby games as an already storied family tome, from the GPO in Easter 1916, gets a new chapter as we witness the rise of this truly gifted athlete.
6 Rhys Ruddock was the Ireland captain last summer and, at 27, looked set for a landmark season. Instead it has been an injury-ravaged campaign which he interrupted long enough this past two weekends but not enough to stop Tadhg Beirne going on tour of Australia. Fix those hamstrings and number six can be tattooed on his back.
7 Dan Leavy. Cullen and Schmidt were trying to keep Leavy on a leash almost, as Josh van der Flier had made his bones and Seán O'Brien still looked the best flanker in the world during the Lions/All Blacks series. Suddenly, Leavy was all alone, the outstanding backrower in Europe , the seven jersey firmly in his possession journeying south to challenge the world Pocock and Hooper. O'Brien's return may not be possible at openside.
8 Jack Conan seemed unprepared for Jamie Heaslip's premature retirement as Max Deegan produced a terrific rookie season with 18 appearances (10 starts) to stay in the slipstream of Ryan, Porter and Jacob Stockdale. By season's end Conan had re-established his power game but if Ireland under-20s captain Caelan Doris grows into the monster many expect then the outhalf conundrum will seem simple in comparison.
