Munster duo Loughman and Milne going head-to-head for loosehead berth

Ireland prop Michael Milne. Pic: Ben Brady/Inpho

Ireland’s selection battle at loosehead prop to face France in Paris this Thursday now appears to be a straight fight between Munster duo Jeremy Loughman and Mikey Milne following Billy Bohan’s release from their training base in Portugal on Sunday.

Uncapped 20-year-old Bohan had been a late call-up to Andy Farrell’s squad travelling to the Algarve last week when Jack Boyle became the third loosehead prop from Leinster to succumb to injury, following Andrew Porter and Paddy McCarthy onto the sidelines during last weekend’s URC derby at Bohan’s Connacht.

Bohan, along with utility playmaker Ciarán Frawley, and uncapped back-rower Bryn Ward left the training camp at Quinta do Lago on Sunday to join the Ireland XV squad preparing to face England A at Thomond Park this Friday, leaving behind a 35-player squad heading to Paris on Monday, with Loughman and Milne remaining to do battle for the number one jersey in the Guinness Six Nations opener at Stade de France.

Ulster’s Tom O’Toole has also been repping at loosehead in scrummaging sessions but defence coach Simon Easterby on Sunday indicated the Munster duo were most likely be operating at loosehead against the French. Loughman, 30, made his Six Nations debut against Italy in 2024 in what was the most recent of his five Ireland appearances to date. 

Milne, who is set to turn 27 on matchday this week, made his Test debut last summer against Georgia, earning his second cap the following week in Portugal having joined Munster from Leinster, initially on loan, last April.

“They've been very good,” Easterby said. “I think Billy has stepped up as a young player as well, and he's impressed everyone. He's got a very bright future ahead, and hopefully he'll get an opportunity on Friday night.

“The other bit of competition, then for that loosehead spot, (with) Jez and Mikey has been excellent. I've just walked up from a scrum session there, and it looked like they were going after each other and working hard.

“So, I think that's part of the challenge and the excitement around a couple of players who haven't been in for a while, in Jez and Mikey getting an opportunity to step up.

You know, sometimes those things are forced. Sometimes, you know, they're in there for their form, and both of them have gone well, we've been really impressed with them.

“But for us, it just adds and keeps adding depth to our squad, which is exactly what we want when we're when we're 18 months out of a World Cup.

Ireland’s preparations got a major boost on Sunday when tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong trained fully to allay fears he could miss the championship opener due to a calf injury. 

The Irish medical team have been managing Furlong’s return to fitness conservatively to get the 33-year-old ready for the championship and Easterby said there was optimism the three-time British & Irish Lions tourist and Test starter would be ready to go in Paris.

"At the moment, yeah, I think today was important and obviously tomorrow will be another important training day, but so far so good," Easterby said.

"He got through some good work actually, he's progressed really well and we've been happy with the majority of the lads who have been training and some of them have come in with little niggles, but everyone's progressing really well and we had everyone available to train today."

Easterby disagreed with the assertion that having first-choice tightheads in Furlong and Finlay Bealham restored some confidence in the Irish front row given the absences of Porter, McCarthy and Boyle.

“I don't think it's necessarily a lack of confidence in those guys. It's just that they haven't been playing at this level for a while. Jez has played a good bit of rugby, and Mikey as well, you know, a few niggles early season, but they've both been performing for Munster.

“For that end, they're playing on the highest stage in Europe, and it's now an opportunity for them to step up and make their mark at the international level.”