Leinster tyro relishing home debut

In an Ireland squad dotted with overseas imports, the appearance of a Van der Flier on the team sheet could well have inspired more moans and groans from critics of rugby’s Test qualification criteria.

Yet Leinster back rower Josh van der Flier (pronounced ‘fleer’, not ‘flyer’), who today wins his second cap for Ireland, is Dublin born and bred, the son of a former Leinster Under-21 player and grandson of a Dutch couple who moved to the country’s capital from Holland in the 1950s.

It was father Dirk who introduced Josh to rugby. He had played for Old Wesley and took his son to Lansdowne Road to watch Ireland as often as he could. From there, the seed was sown and Josh van der Flier was a name in waiting for the Ireland team.

The country will get another chance to see him in action when the openside flanker dons the red scrum cap that is a nod to his schooldays at Wesley College and tears into Italy at Aviva Stadium this afternoon, although Van der Flier is adjusting to the fact he represented his country two weeks ago at Twickenham and that a home debut beckons today.

“I’m still kind of replaying it in my head, it’s very surreal,” he says. “I still haven’t got over the fact that I’m an international player. It’s pretty exciting and I’m really looking forward to this game.

“It’s still very new to me. I’m lucky that I played in the Aviva before, against Toulon, played the one game there but it will be very different. There’ll be an added bit of spice to this now with the anthems and the fact that it’s an international game, a lot more pressure and everything. I’m very excited for it.”

So too are his family. Older brother Johan flew in from the US to join his parents, uncles, and cousins at Twickenham for the debut and another gang will rock up to the Aviva today .

“They’re all very excited. My dad always used to try and get us tickets and we went to at least two or three a year. I remember not being able to see over the crowd standing up in the stands in the old Lansdowne Road and my dad having to hold me up on his shoulders.

“I’ve dreamed of playing in these kind of games ever since, so it’s incredible to have that chance now... and I know all the words to both anthems (‘Amhrán na bhFiann’ and ‘Ireland’s Call’)! It’s very exciting.”