There are few days more memorable in Irish sporting history than 5 November 2016 when Ireland's men's rugby team defeated the mighty All Blacks for the first time.

In the 29th meeting between the sides in 111 years, tries from Jordi Murphy, CJ Stander, Conor Murray, Simon Zebo, and Robbie Henshaw secured a hard-fought 40-29 for Ireland over New Zealand at Soldier Field in Chicago.

The occasion was bittersweet though, taking place weeks after the death of former Munster and Ireland number eight Anthony Foley at the age of 42, and the Ireland players paid tribute by standing in a figure of eight formation during the haka.

One of the starting XV that day was winger Andrew Trimble, who appears on the cover of this month's edition of Business Plus following the sale of his technology business Kairos for a reported £15m, but he isn't the only one to go into business.

1. Jack McGrath

Loosehead prop Jack McGrath played for Ireland 56 times and won three caps on the British & Irish Lions 2017 tour of New Zealand during his 12-year career in professional rugby.

The former Leinster and Ulster has a 33% stake in JJC Fitness, the corporate wellness and gym management company trading at Collective Fitness. He co-founded the firm in 2020 with business partners James Norton and Conor Corcoran.

"Our team of fitness trainers, nutritionists, and physical therapists work together to create integrated health solutions - customised on-site wellness centres for your new office, evolving fitness classes, tailored nutrition, and physiotherapy for injury prevention and recovery" Collective Fitness says on its website.

The company eked out a €2,600 profit last year from revenues of €85,200 and has accumulated profits of €19,300 to date. McGrath also founded the freight company Jack McGrath Express Transport Ltd with wife Sinead Corcoran last year.

2. Rory Best

Hooker Rory Best was named Ireland captain at the start of 2016 and led Ireland at the 2019 Rugby World Cup before announcing his retirement. He is the only Irish captain to beat Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

In all, the Ulster forward won four Six Nations Championships, including two Grand Slams, and played in four World Cups over the course of his 14-year international career, winning 124 caps and scoring 12 tries in the process.

Best is a director of three UK-registered companies -- Rory Best Rugby Ltd, Acton Environmental Ltd, Carnmeen Energy Ltd, and Newry Energy Storage Ltd.

Best established Rory Best Rugby Ltd in 2008 as a vehicle for his image rights, and the company reported reserves of £65,500 in March.

3. Tadhg Furlong

Tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong remains a mainstay for both Leinster and Ireland, making World Rugby's Team of the Year three times.

Furlong has won four Pro 12 titles, one European Rugby Champions Cup with Leinster as well as three Six Nations with Ireland.

He established the media company TMF3 Media in 2017.

4. Donnacha Ryan

Lock Donncha Ryan retired in 2021 after a 17-year career with Munster, Ireland, and Racing 92 in France.

He won 47 caps for Ireland as well as two Pro12 titles and a European Rugby Champions Cup with Munster.

He is now an assistant coach under Ronan O'Gara La Rochelle, having extended his contract over the summer, and he also owns the dormant Donjen Ltd.

5. Devin Toner

Towering second-row Devin Toner retired in 2022 after 16 years with Leinster, having won 70 caps for Ireland between 2010 and 2020.

His honours include seven Pro12/Pro14 titles, four European Rugby Champions Cups and three Six Nations, including a Grand Slam in 2018.

He is now head of partnerships at Fairstone Ireland where he carries out employee wellness programmes for corporate clients, and he recently invested in Wicklow craft beer brewery O Brother Brewing.

6. CJ Stander

South African-born back rower CJ Stander made his Ireland debut in 2016, four years after joining Leinster, and he scored 12 tries in his 51 caps for the country. He also went on the 2017 Lions tour and became a firm favourite at the southern province, winning men's player of the year three times.

He was also embraced by Ireland fans, winning men's players' player of the year, and men's supporters player of the year in 2016 as well as the Grand Slam in 2018.

Having started his career with the Bulls and played at underage level for South Africa, he returned to the country of his birth following his retirement, and he is now a project controller for construction company Val de Vie.

7. Jordi Murphy

Flanker Jordi Murphy split his career between Leinster and Ulster and won three Six Nations titles under Joe Schmidt, including the 2018 Grand Slam, during his 30 caps for Ireland.

He retired from rugby last year, and he now works as a player agent at sports marketing agency Navy Blue Sports, which represents a number of rugby players, media personalities and other sporting figures.

Murphy's wholly owned market research company Kobe Marketing Ltd had reserves of €165,200 last July.

8. Jamie Heaslip

Jamie Heaslip won 95 caps and scored 13 tries as Ireland's long-time number eight between 2006 and 2017.

He won the Pro12 three times, the European Rugby Champions Cup four times and three Six Nations, and he went on two Lions tours in 2009 and 2013. He was also nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year in 2009 and 2016.

Heaslip is now Ireland Strategic Growth Lead for payments giant Stripe, and he is also part of the ownership group for Dublin pubs, Lemon + Duke, The Bridge 1859, The Blackrock and McSorley's.

Grand Slam Bars now has property assets worth close to €11m following the €5.5m McSorley's acquisition over the summer.

9. Conor Murray

Scrum-half Conor Murray has been displaced as Ireland's starting number nine, but the 35-year-old plays on for Munster and the national team, for whom he has won 118 caps, the fifth most in team history.

He was a mainstay of the Joe Schmidt era and has won five Six Nations, including Grand Slams in 2018 and 2023, and he has also won the Pro12/United Rugby Championship for Munster in 2011 and 2023.

He is the majority owner of management company Dedfire Ltd, which had shareholder funds of €222,900 at the end of 2023 after making an annual profit of €27,900.

He is also a director of wife Joanna Murray's underwear company Coops the Label Ltd, and he has a stake in CMK Hospitality, the holding company for Morrissey's Bar and Restaurant in Doonbeg, Co Clare.

Murray and Cooper announced the birth of their first child last week, and Murray extended his contract with Munster and Ireland for another season in April.

10. Johnny Sexton

Johnny Sexton returned from injury to lead Ireland's unsuccessful tilt at last year's Rugby World Cup before retiring to take up a permanent role with sustainable packaging group Ardagh.

He scored 1,108 points in his 118-cap Ireland career from 2009 to 2023 in addition to winning five Six Nations Championships, including the Grand Slams of 2009, 2018 and 2023.

He also won four European Rugby Champions Cups and six league titles with Leinster and went on two Lions tours in 2013 and 2017. He was also named World Rugby Player of the Year in 2018.

His company, JAS Management & Promotions Ltd, had shareholders funds of €2.33m at the end of last September.

11. Simon Zebo

Now 34, winger Simon Zebo announced his retirement from rugby in May.

Munster's record try scorer had been out of the Ireland picture for several years following his move to Racing 92 but returned to the province in 2021.

The Corkman scored nine tries in his 32 caps, and his honours included two league titles and the 2015 Six Nations. He was also picked for the 2013 Lions tour of Australia.

Zebo was announced as an investor in new Irish whiskey brand, Black Emerald, last week, and the first bottles will go on sale next year.

He is the owner of Left Wing Productions Ltd, which had accumulated profits of €658,500 as of March and made a profit of €43,500 in the 12 months prior.

12. Robbie Henshaw

Injuries permitting, former Connacht centre Robbie Hensahw has been a fixture of Ireland squad since breaking through in 2013 and he now has 73 caps to his name.

In addition to Connact's shock Pro14 title in 2016, Henshaw has won four more leagues and a European Champions Cup with Leinster as well as five Six Nations Championships with Ireland.

He was picked on the 2017 and 2021 Lions tours, and he owns Robton Ltd, which has €975,900 in reserve, as well as a 20% stake in Ashton Sleep Solutions Ltd in his native Athlone.

13. Jared Payne

New Zealand native Jared Payne scored four tries for Ireland in 20 caps from 2014-2017 and spent seven years at Ulster from 2011-2018 after plying his trade in Super Rugby.

The former New Zealand U21 international also went on tour with the Lions in 2017 and after retirement he moved into coaching, first with Ulster before moving to Clermont Auvergne in France and then Scarlets in Wales.

14. Andrew Trimble

Soldier Field was one of Ulster winger Andrew Trimble's final caps for Ireland, putting the icing on an international career that started more than a decade earlier in 2005 and saw him score 17 tries.

The Coleraine man became general manager of performance in Teamworks after selling Kairos to the US firm last year. He also has an ownership stake in the company, which bills itself as the operating system for sports.

15. Rob Kearney

Full-back Rob Kearney, like his long-time teammate Heaslip and brother Dave, is now part-owner of Grand Slam Bars, the pub group that owns Duke + Lemon, the Bridge 1859, The Blackrock and McSorley's.

His Willville Promotions Ltd vehicle had net assets of €812,800 at the end of 2022, and he is an investor in wife Jess Reddon's skincare brand Poko.

In his rugby career, he played 95 times for Ireland and 219 times for Leinster, winning multiple league titles (six), European Rugby Champions Cups (four) and Six Nations (four) during the process.

(Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile)