Andy Farrell praises 50 cap forward trio

RESILIENCE: Dave Kilcoyne during an Ireland rugby media conference in the IRFU High Performance Centre at the Sport Ireland Campus in Dublin. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Andy Farrell praised Dave Kilcoyne’s resilience and the consistency of Andrew Porter and James Ryan as he looked ahead to the trio of Ireland forwards earning their 50th Test caps against France on Saturday.

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Loosehead prop Kilcoyne, 34, is set to reach his half-century of Ireland appearances at Aviva Stadium 10 years and three months after his international debut against South Africa having been named among the replacements for the sold-out Guinness Six Nations clash at Aviva Stadium.

The Munster front-rower will serve as back-up to Porter, who starts alongside lock and fellow 27-year-old Ryan, both of whom made their first Ireland appearances against the USA in New Jersey in June 2017.

Farrell believes the milestone is often overlooked and has made efforts to recognise the honour of reaching 50 caps within the Ireland camp since becoming head coach in 2019 but he paid tribute to Kilcoyne’s perseverance having recently overcome a career-threatening neck injury sustained in last season’s Six Nations that required surgery after he lost power in an arm.

The Ireland boss could not resist poking fun at the Munster forward’s age but said: “David Kilcoyne… To have the resilience to hang in there. I know that he’s 42 but the resilience he has shown to take a few setbacks and keep on fighting and come back stronger each and every time says a hell of a lot about him. We’re delighted for all three of them.” 

Talking about Porter and Ryan, Farrell added: “The two of them, who knows what they’re going to go to. I mean 50 - I think it’s not celebrated as it should be.

“We’ve started to recognise it. I actually brought it in a couple of years ago and fed it back to lads who have got their 50th - Simon Easterby and Paul (O’Connell) got one as well - because it’s special.

“To be so consistent, to get to 50 caps at that age, says a lot about how much the game means to them, how much it means to play for Ireland. I think it’s a phenomenal achievement.” 

Farrell on Thursday also spoke about the standing within the Ireland squad that Ryan had established for himself in his seven seasons as a Test player.

“I remember his first cap, and that was special. I remember him going out there against a big French pack (for his Six Nations debut in 2018) and taking the game to them and since that game, the growth of his stature within the group has been phenomenal.

“They all look up to him, whether he knows it or not. They look up to him, you know? It says a lot about his character, doesn’t it?

“His game’s developing in my opinion, the whole time. His attacking game is certainly developing. His decision-making is developing but he’s never lost what his point of difference is and that’s his work ethic, his fight. He’s got real inner strength to show his will to win so hopefully all that comes out on Saturday.”