Munster's Boris shows he’s not too dainty for front row rough and tumble

On November 12, John Ryan made his international rugby debut. People could be forgiven for thinking he came from nowhere; If you told him in June that this was on the cards, he would have laughed.

A likeable guy with a self deprecating sense of humour, people were genuinely thrilled to see him reach such a major milestone.

With 80 Munster appearances behind him, however, he is no stranger to the professional game. A first cap against the Canadians was the reward for large measures of patience, persistence and commitment in the face of what were, at times, very difficult circumstances.