US president Joe Biden is backing Ireland to topple England in Saturday's final round of the Six Nations.
President Biden hosted a St Patrick's Day event at the White House on Friday.
He has strong links to Ireland, with his mother, Jean, having been of Irish descent.
He is also a distant relative of former Ireland full-back Rob Kearney, who was among the guests at the Washington, D.C. gathering.
Biden, addressing his audience, said: "We've even got a few of my distant Irish cousins here today, including the well-known Irish rugby player Rob Kearney.
"Rob stand up. I want to see you after this, pal.
"You know, Rob, I expect, we know, and this is no offence to anyone in the room, who we are rooting for in the Grand Slam match between Ireland and England."
The Irish – like their American brothers – wrote for themselves a better future.
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 17, 2023
With bravery in their blood, their work has borne centuries of fruit.
And here at home, those values have been passed down around countless Irish-American dinner tables just like mine.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was also present on Friday, as was former One Direction pop singer Niall Horan.
Ireland, the world's top-ranked rugby national team, will complete a Six Nations Grand Slam if they beat England in Dublin in the final match of this year's championship at the Aviva Stadium.
