Who will be Ireland's next captain?

Joe Schmidt looks fairly certain to stay on as Head Coach amid talk of English interest in the press but there's uncertainty over who will take over as captain for the 6 Nations from Paul O'Connell. We take a look at some of the possible candidates to take on the role.

1. Jamie Heaslip - An obvious candidate who has captained Ireland on many occasions before and did so last week in absence of Paul O'Connell. Already vice captain for Ireland, could he be in line for a promotion to captain? It seems like the most obvious choice but Schmidt could be planning a change.

2. Peter O'Mahony - A natural leader amongst the Irish set up and likely to be captain at some point in the future but due to a ruptured ACL it is unlikely he will feature again this season which should rule him out of the 2016 6 Nations.

3. Jonathan Sexton - Sexton's immense talent can often control the tempo of a game and dictate results but could he lead the Irish team as captain? A vocal figure in the backs who is credited by his team mates for his excellent communication and decision making which definitely makes him a candidate.

4. Rory Best - One of the more senior members of the irish squad, Best (33) often leads by example on the pitch with explosive ball carrying and winning turnovers. His excellent work rate is one of the best traits of his game. A senior figure of experience puts his hand up as a possible candidate for captain also.