Irish star Jack Conan is ready to make a dream come true as he rushes past a packed crowd in Dublin on the opening weekend of a Guinness Six Nations campaign – 12 months after feeling “a bit shocked”.

Conan enters the tournament after the best year of his career to date, having become a British and Irish Lion and establishing himself as a key cog in Andy Farrell’s imposing attacking pack.

The influential 29-year-old has never started a league curtain raiser and his current situation is a far cry from last February.

After being overlooked by head coach Farrell for his country’s first two matches of 2021, Conan was instead performing at club level and waving at imaginary supporters as he celebrated his 100th Leinster appearance in disappointing fashion .

“It’s great to finally get to the position I am in,” Conan said, ahead of Saturday’s sold-out game against defending Six Nations champions Wales.

“It probably took me a bit longer than I wanted to, but a few injuries and obviously a lot of quality players around too and probably guilty of underperforming over the years as well.

“I think this week last year I made my 100th cap for Leinster against the Dragons at Rodney Parade and ran into an empty stadium giving him this (waves at an imaginary crowd)!

“Luke McGrath was the captain and he said ‘you’re going to miss’. I said, ‘Lucey, what are you talking about? There’s no one in the stadium’.

“There were the guys on the bench, the coaches and the Dragons guys, so I kind of felt like a cup.

“It’s great now to be sitting here and being able to start a Six Nations opener in Dublin and in front of a full house.

“It’s been a long time coming and something I’ve been thinking about for years. I feel very lucky.

Conan’s landmark provincial outing in South Wales came on February 19 last year.

He eventually made his first Test appearance since the 2019 World Cup the following weekend as a substitute in Ireland’s 48-10 third-round victory in Italy.

The number eight came off the bench again against Scotland a fortnight later before marking his first international start for 18 months with a remarkable display of tries in the 32-18 win over England – a match which, according to him, served as a “stepping stone” to present circumstances.

Ireland’s current eight-game winning streak has coincided with Conan’s comeback, as he played in all three Lions Tests in South Africa last summer after being a surprise pick by Warren Gatland.

“A year ago my motivation was to get to a level I wanted to be at, a level I thought I had been before, and I’m not talking about the jersey I was wearing, I meant myself.” he declared. .

“It was a hunger that built over months of frustration with injuries and rehab and everything, so maybe that’s a different motivation, but it’s still very high and there is no greater motivation than playing for your country at home in Dublin in front of family, friends and loved ones to a packed house.

“My motivation changes from time to time but it’s always of utmost importance.”

Conan is one of seven Leinster players in the Irish squad for the weekend, apart from Munster’s Tadhg Beirne.

He will line up in the center of the back row, sandwiched between Caelan Doris and Josh Van Der Flier.

“It certainly helps that you guys are a little more familiar,” Conan said.

“In saying that, even though it wasn’t seven out of eight Leinster guys, there’s so much quality and strength in depth right now that the guys can step in and get the job done.

“Speaking specifically of the back row, the three of us complement each other very well. It’s a real pleasure to play with the two guys. You know what you’re getting every time. Their work rate is through the roof.

“We all bring out the best in ourselves and I think that’s something we’ve done very well over the last few months, whether it’s green or blue.”