Michael Milne: Gym sessions? 'You're remembered for the games you play'

Munster's new prop Michal Milne knew he had to shake himself out of a rut at Leinster to make the most of his time in the pro game. Now he's prepping for a huge Six Nations opener in Paris.

DOWN TO BUSINESS: Michael Milne and the Irish Examiner's Simon Lewis chatting at Ireland's Six Nations prep camp at Quinta do Lago on the Algarve. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

If Mikey Milne gets the opportunity he craves to make his Six Nations debut at Stade de France next Thursday, the Munster and Ireland prop will not spend too much time pondering how he reached his most significant career milestone.

It would be some 27th birthday to be earning his third Test cap under the lights in Paris as Ireland face defending champions France. 

Yet if the call comes in Tuesday’s team announcement, the Birr native recognises a huge element of luck, or rather the injury misfortune of Leinster loosehead trio Andrew Porter, Paddy McCarthy and Jack Boyle helped catapult him into contention for a green jersey.

Similarly, the absence of Porter on British & Irish Lions duty this summer allowed him to take his chance on the Ireland tour to Georgia and Portugal, when he earned his first international caps in Tbilisi and Lisbon.

Which is why he is reticent to credit his move to Munster, initially on loan last April and permanently since the summer, as the deciding factor, though the facts would indicate otherwise. 

Milne left Leinster in search of more game time after 47 appearances for his home province between 2019 and 2025 and Munster have provided the platform for him to push his claims for international recognition.

Having missed the first two games of the URC campaign with a calf injury, Milne has played in nine of Munster’s 11 competitive games before Ireland’s call brought him to their pre-Six Nations training camp in Portugal. 

Yet speaking to the Irish Examiner after training at their Quinta do Lago training base, Milne stopped short of agreeing his move from Leinster had been vindicated by his selection alongside Munster team-mate Jeremy Loughman and uncapped Connacht 20-year-old Billy Bohan.

While delighted to have both settled in so well at Munster and to be playing more, he said Leinster had presented him with opportunities he had not taken.  Now more experienced, the loosehead is confident he is in a better space to capitalise.

Michael Milne poses at The Campus in Quinta do Lago. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

“I don't know. If you look at it like that (increased game time), I suppose it does (vindicate the move),” Milne said. “I played a lot of games when I went down at Munster at the end of last season, played a quarter-final against Sharks, which we probably should have won.

“I suppose (in terms of) game time it would, but I think it's all about luck as well. The lads went on the British & Irish Lions Tour, left spaces to come (into Ireland camp). It's probably about opportunity and getting luck and then taking the opportunity. So it's about timing as well, more than the move. But the move's been great so far, especially for game time.” 

The Milne CV paints a steady progression through the representative ranks to this point.  A member of the Ireland Under-20s Grand Slam-winning squad of 2019 alongside future Munster team-mates Craig Casey, John Hodnett and Josh Wycherley, Milne went to South Africa with Emerging Ireland in 2022 before making his Test debut in 2025 against the Georgians. 

A second cap came a week later in the rout of Portugal and Milne also started for Ireland XV against Spain in Leganes last November. 

The player’s view of that career path is tinged with some regret, however.

“I was part of a successful U20s camp. I probably didn't really kick on after U20s as much as I wanted. Josh Wycherley was loosehead, he was very good. He's still very good, we actually went to school together, at Cistercians (Roscrea) which is funny.

“Then I came out of 20s, first year (Leinster) academy. We were down in Donnybrook and probably never pushed on as much as I wanted to. But I suppose I was just coming out of school. I was still probably a bit raw, trying to get things right in my head really. Because you think things are going to go one way and they don't. You just have to try and fix it and figure it out.

“And then second year academy, first game of the season, Ed Byrne got injured so I got a few games. First game was away to Treviso. And then you kind of start figuring things out. Start figuring what senior lads want and what coaches want. I suppose going to the Emerging Irish Tour, I thought I impressed. And then I came back and didn't end up playing, didn't end up putting the stuff I learnt into play, really.

“I don't think it's because I wasn't getting the opportunity. I probably just wasn't taking them. You can only get so many opportunities before someone else comes behind you. That's probably been my biggest thing, just learning how to take opportunities when you get them. They don't come around often, so when you get them, take them.

Which he most certainly did a summer tour that delivered two caps. "There's a great picture of me and my parents (Ger and Pauline) in Georgia. My parents travel anywhere in fairness and they loved it as well. They were born and bred in Offaly, so to get them away is great.” 

Would there have been family photos from Tbilisi to treasure had he stayed at Leinster? We will never know, but Milne is relishing the increased opportunity to play as much rugby as possible.

Michael Milne, right, and Jack Conan during an Ireland Rugby squad training. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

“I think in my head, I really enjoyed just playing rugby. I kind of had it in my head I wasn't getting the games I wanted. Not that I needed to, but I just wanted to play rugby. It was all well and good going in, doing a gym session, training, and then not doing any of the weekends. So I was like, I need to try and figure this out.

“I wasn't getting the games in Leinster, and then I kind of went to my agent to see was there anything, and thankfully Munster were interested, so I went for that straight away.

“It kind of happens quick enough. You're in Leinster one week, and then the next I was down in Limerick. But I went looking to try and get some game time, because it's all good having a career playing rugby, but you're remembered for the games you play and the things you do. Even when I retire, I'm really thankful I went and tried to go and find somewhere to play, because I'm loving it now. It makes a big difference.

“A game here and there yeah, but you don't progress doing that really. You need to try and be in scrums, be in lineout mauls, be in the game, figure things out as well. Doing it once every two or three weeks is probably not good enough for me anyway. Maybe some players can, but I knew myself I needed more, so that's been good.” 

Now he faces the game of his life, potentially, and if the opportunity arises, Milne is now ready to not let is slip by.

“Since I've got older, definitely. I think I'm a bit calmer in my head as well. Before, I probably would have been nervous going into it. It makes it a lot easier because you know yourself a bit more. You're confident in your body, so it definitely makes it a lot easier as well. It's a good place to be. It took me a while! 

“I’m still not 100 per cent there, but when you feel confident in yourself, you know what your game is like, you can just go out on the pitch and do it.

“As Faz says, ‘being yourself is being confident in yourself’. It does translate onto a rugby pitch, the better you can do it. You see Caelan (Doris), he's very confident in himself and what he produces on a rugby pitch is some of the best in the world. It just shows it works.”