Porter ready to back himself in the face of Springbok might

There was a time when he would burn through his entire stock of nervous energy long before kick-off. Not anymore. If he was at home right now he might clean the house from top to bottom or find an hour or two for some study. That’s about the height of it these days.

BACKING HIMSELF: Andrew Porter.

Andrew Porter would love to tip along to the RDS this evening. The Leinster loosehead knows the place like a London cabbie knows his city’s streets and he has spent most of the week training with the Ireland ‘A’ players who face the Kiwis in Ballsbridge on Friday night.

Experience tells him that it just wouldn’t be a good idea.