Rugby World Cup: Five Irish stars to follow on Twitter

Here's the Ireland team by twitter handle to play Wales #ShoulderToShoulder pic.twitter.com/QwvrmnISIh

— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) August 6, 2015

IRELAND head coach Joe Schmidt has vowed not to inflict strict social media guidelines upon his players during the Rugby World Cup, unlike his England counterpart Stuart Lancaster.

The England head coach has issued rules such as: ‘Do not post when you’re in a bad mood or immediately after a tough loss’, but Schmidt believes this is “common sense” and has faith that his players will not let him down either on or off the field.

Ireland have named their team and full squad for Saturday’s Test match with Wales in Cardiff, with each and every one of the entire 23-man panel owning a public Twitter account.

As such, fans can expect plenty of interaction throughout the World Cup – with Ireland beginning their campaign against Canada on September 19 – so we’ve picked out five of the best Irishmen to follow throughout the tournament.

Simon Zebo

Not only does the Munster man post witty images of his current mood, but he also has a knack for retweeting positive comments from fans, so you might grab yourself a few follows by hitting him up. He does tend to tweet in bursts though.

Mood pic.twitter.com/EUl9irIVOX

— Simon Zebo (@SimonZebo) July 3, 2015

Rory Best

If it’s a humble character you’re after, look no further than Ulster captain Rory Best. The 32-year-old does a lot of charity work and guest appearances. Of course, he won’t have time for that during the World Cup, but his feed is always pleasant.

Thanks to everyone that braved the weather today for the @UlsterRugby family fun day, unbelievable turn out! Great support as always!!

— Rory Best (@RoryBest2) July 31, 2015

Cian Healy

Although one of Ireland’s main injury doubts, Cian Healy is still expected to be named in the final 31-man squad on September 6. Tweets on his recovery process have been limited, but he’s active daily so Healy himself could well be the best news source for his fitness. Other than that, expect updates that suggest he’s as human as the rest of us.

Lost €50 on the beach. Uugh

— Cian Healy (@ProperChurch) August 2, 2015

Conor Murray

If selfies and behind the scenes pictures and videos are your thing, Conor Murray is good for a fair few. Expect shots from the team bus and training, although most of his posts may re-direct you to his Instagram page.

All smiles after training in the sunshine as usual in cork! @ Fota Island Resort https://t.co/yVgFbMjrKm

— Conor Murray (@ConorMurray_9) July 28, 2015

Brian O’Driscoll

Ok, so he’s not a player anymore, but Brian O’Driscoll loves a tweet or two. In retirement, the legendary centre has created a habit of tweeting about everything from mowing the lawn to his favourite bar in New York. He’s a prolific tweeter – often witty – so expect comments on Ireland’s progress from one of the finest players ever to play rugby union.