Michael Bent trains with the Ireland squad in New Zealand

80 MINUTE MAN: Ireland’s Andrew Porter with James Ryan. Porter played all 80 minutes on Saturday. Pic: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

Ireland’s front row merry-go-round kept spinning over the weekend as reinforcements arrived, rapid recoveries were made and a friendly face reappeared to assist the tourists ahead of the first Test.

It was a tumultuous week for the Irish on tour in New Zealand with two games in four games and it was the props and hookers who bore the brunt of the exertions against two immensely physical teams in the shape of the Maori All Blacks and the home Test side.