The Ireland rugby team is the team for both the island of Ireland, for the Republic of Ireland and also Northern Ireland.
The team has won the Six Nations Championship a staggering eleven times, and have shared it eight times. Even when it comes to the Rugby World Cup, they have outshined many other teams, and as far as being a team goes, they are one of the best in the league. Ireland is one of the four Unions that helps comprise the Irish and British Lions. So, any player who is eligible to play for Ireland is automatically eligible to play for the Lions as well.
The Ireland rugby team was in the news recently, when Australian rugby team the Rebels named their strongest team to take on the British and Irish Lions. The Lions have played the Australian Super Rugby franchises four out of five, and they have been beaten only by the Brumbies till date. This is indeed a huge deal for the Australian Rebels, as the Lions are considered one of the best and toughest competitors in the world, and getting a chance to face off with them in the field is a huge leap forward.
Luke Burgess is going to play for the Rebels this time against the Ireland rugby team, and this is a major piece of news, as Burgess last started for the Rebels almost a couple of years ago. He very recently returned from France, and according to him, the chance to play against the Lions is probably the main reason why he is making a comeback into rugby. It is the dream of every rugby player to play against the Lions, and since he is getting to start off for the Rebels, and that too in their home ground, it is a huge honour.