LONG READ Brendan Fanning: 'On the last day of this Championship Ireland may have another Triple Crown, presented by Scotland.'

Nothing summed up the boom or bust nature of the Irish rugby follower quite like the dramatic about-turn of the national side. One day it’s widely accepted that we’re out of breath, having crested another hill, and with more than a year to the next World Cup. But when dawn broke the following day we’re on an upward curve again, with green shoots of growth popping up here and there.

This state of mind may not be unique to Irish rugby but we seem to be comfortable with it. Its most emphatic episode unfolded on that mad afternoon in Twickenham two weeks ago. Currently we are speeding past the turn-off for Lansdowne Road against Wales on Friday night like a road that’s been wiped from the map. The way we’re going, at close of business in the Aviva Stadium on the last day of this Championship Ireland may well have another Triple Crown for the cabinet, presented by Scotland.

You thought we don’t record those shiny salvers anymore? Well, we do when the gold and silver steps on the podium are already occupied. So if that comes to pass then a season where expectations initially were modest, before being flipped head over tail, landed again in a spot we would have settled for before a ball was kicked in February.

It was that first hoof in Paris where our world was ended by the French, only to be reborn with maybe the most perfect of storms in London a fortnight later. There’s a decent chance that Andy Farrell may not pick up any startling new information over the remaining two games. From three games played he already knows how the land lies, but can’t know how often or for how long his first choice crew can perform.

Farrell can’t have known McCloskey would turn out so well. Ulster’s unfairly labelled two-trick pony – carry and offload – has impressed everyone with the range of his skills and his sheer physical impact.

There’s an ironic feel to the narrative for Ireland now in that the overnight success stories have been gathering dust on Ulster’s shelf, virtually unread, for years. In which case the worrying theme for Ireland – the age profile of the squad features too many chunky numbers – has only been emphasised by the new heroes Stu McCloskey (34 in August), and Nick Timoney (31 in August). The third musketeer, Rob Baloucoune, will be 29 in August, and the only concern around him is that his battles with durability stay in the rearview mirror.

Farrell can’t have known McCloskey would turn out so well. Ulster’s unfairly labelled two-trick pony – carry and offload – has impressed everyone with the range of his skills and his sheer physical impact. Like Baloucoune, he is the living, breathing embodiment of what should be an adage: opportunity is a player’s best friend. Tommy O’Brien would subscribe to that too.

For all the feelgood factor around Ulster’s forgotten trio, along with the capping of Munster strongman Edwin Edogbo, the loud, steady groaning coming from the pipes is a reminder that we don’t need a scrum doctor, we need a plumber.

Wales may not inflict any more damage beneath the floorboards but there was enough of that done by France, Italy and England. It was flagged well in advance, especially on the loosehead side where Andrew Porter, Paddy McCarthy and Jack Boyle are still missing, so yes, it could have been worse. The shift across the front row of Tom O’Toole was not catastrophic, so it was deemed a success – not quite the same thing.

No one is getting any younger. If you could wish this superpower on any player it would be Jamison Gibson-Park, to skip into the World Cup in Australia in autumn next year with the clock wound back a few years.

What’s caused the current headyness in the game here is the combination of relief followed by elation. The Paris hammering wasn’t a standard for the season and then the almost bizarre coincidence of Ireland finding the top of their game and England unable to find their own rear ends with both hands tied behind their backs gave us that unique Twickenham experience.

In all of this no one is getting any younger. If you could wish this superpower on any player it would be Jamison Gibson-Park, to skip into the World Cup in Australia in autumn next year with the clock wound back a few years. As for the rest of Ireland’s spine, Dan Sheehan and Caelan Doris are in great nick; Jamie Osborne at full back has been every bit as good as we expected; while at number 10, the sunny side to this scene is that there are four contenders – Jack Crowley, Sam Prendergast, Ciarán Frawley and Harry Byrne – none of whom are wet behind the ears. Neither are any of them good enough to put some daylight into that race.

Unlike hooker, where Tom Stewart – a fine all round rugby player – will add to the depth, the cluster of 10s is causing Farrell more heartache than comfort. Well, that and the short line of new cabs on the rank to serve the rest of the squad. Farrell needs them stretching around the block, waiting for a call. It doesn’t look like the stuff of a Celtic Tiger.