'They’re off winning Grand Slams and you’re off in f***ing Rotherham or some dive like that playing ‘A’ rugby'

Billy Holland chuckles when it’s put to him his first senior Ireland cap, against Canada tomorrow, is a reward for patience.

Stubbornness, he prefers to call it.

Either way, it’s been a long time coming. How long? Well, look at it this way: Holland played U21 for Ireland. That grade was scrapped and replaced by the U20s as far back as 2008. He’s 31 now and he’s been “hacking away” for 10 years by now.