Ireland in a hurry to get Edwin Edogbo up to speed

Edwin Edogbo of Munster during the Investec Champions Cup match between Munster and Castres Olympique. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Caelan Doris believes Ireland new boy Edwin Edogbo can make a big impression on international rugby - but the powerful Munster forward has been warned he has to hit the ground running in the Six Nations.

The Ireland squad begin their preparations in earnest in Portugal this week for their opening game of the championship against defending champions France in Paris on Thursday week with 23-year-old lock Edogbo and Ulster scrum-half Nathan Doak, 24, the only uncapped players called into camp at their Quinta do Lago training base.

Ireland captain Doris faced Edogbo for the first time when Munster faced Leinster at Thomond Park last December and has been impressed by the impact he has made since his return from the second of two serious Achilles’ tendon injuries, also against Leinster on October 18.

"He's been very good,” Doris said. "He's physical, obviously, but he's skilful as well. He seems to have good game understanding and awareness. He's a big fella, capable of putting a stamp on the game. 

Edwin Edogbo during the Ireland team assembly day. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

"Even though Munster will be disappointed with how they've gone in Europe, he's been a standout in some of their games.

"Around coming into camp, messages have already gone in this morning in forward groups around getting him up to scratch early. 

"Quite a bit of detail coming in, it can be a little bit overwhelming from that point of view, but there's plenty of guys who can get an arm around him and help him bring in his best."

Head coach Andy Farrell had initially invited Edogbo to train with the Ireland squad ahead of the November internationals, only for the second row to fail a Head Injury Assessment and withdraw. 

The former Cobh Pirate has travelled to Portugal having failed an HIA following the Champions Cup home defeat by Castres on January 17 and will have had even less time following his mandatory return to play protocols to prepare for the step up.

Emphasising the need for Edogbo to get across his detail quickly in order to make a mark on the training field, Farrell said: "Like we always say coming into camp, how you get up to speed as quick as possible, how you get to be at your best first game up is a hard trait to have.

"So unless you've done it before, you don't know until you know. But that's why the Ireland 15 game is so important because that is that on steroids, really.

"I mean a five-day turnaround to get ready for playing for Ireland is a tough ask. I hope he's got a few good examples to follow and I'm sure that the lads will get him up to speed as soon as they can and he's able to be himself, so that's what's important."