Six Nations 2014: Andrew Trimble banishes his Ireland struggles

Wing Andrew Trimble spoke of his "elation" as he banished memories of his previous international struggles to play a huge role in Ireland clinching the Six Nations title in Paris.

Trimble, 29, made his international debut in 2005 but despite 55 caps, he has not always convinced for Ireland.

"More often than not, I've underperformed [for Ireland]," he said.

"I've been a bit fed up letting opportunities slip. This is definitely the high point of my career."

The Ulster wing missed out entirely on last year's Six Nations Championship after falling behind Simon Zebo, Craig Gilroy and Keith Earls in previous coach Declan Kidney's thinking.

And that was even though his Ulster colleague Tommy Bowe was ruled out for the entire Championship because of injury.

However, Trimble says advice from new Ireland coach Joe Schmidt helped rejuvenate his international career.

"I sat down with the likes of Joe and Mervyn Murphy, our video analyst, and went through some things," he said.

"I've worked on little bits and pieces and finally it has all come together and to put it together with the Championship means the world to me.

"The hard work has paid off and it means so much."

Trimble did not play in Ireland's Autumn Tests, including the epic defeat by New Zealand, but he was already receiving encouragement from the new coach.

"Joe was ringing me regularly and keeping me involved and that was important."

By the start of February, Schmidt had picked Trimble for Ireland's opening Six Nations game against Scotland and he remained a permanent presence in the team for the remainder of the Championship.

His try - Ireland's second of three - in Saturday's win at the Stade de France was his third touchdown of the Six Nations as he answered Schmidt's faith in the best possible way.

And while Brian O'Driscoll, in his emotional final international appearance, was named man of the match after the Paris game, many observers reckoned that the award probably should have gone to the Ulsterman after his outstanding all-round display.

"We've just put in eight weeks of really, really hard work, on the pitch and off the pitch," added Trimble.

"It shows if you put in the hard work, and we've got the talent, the players and the coach, that we can get the results."