James Ryan not frustrated despite latest Ireland exclusion: 'Everyone has a part to play'

There may well be little more than a cigarette paper between him and a starting place against Felipe Contepomi’s side last weekend and Rassie Erasmus’ world champions in a weeks’ time, but the fact is that he is third in line right now in a two-man second row

James Ryan speaks at the IRFU High Performance Centre in Abbotstown, Dublin. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

James Ryan treads new ground this Saturday. He’s been almost ten years a Test player with Ireland and in all that time he has never faced the Fijians. They are the last of rugby’s major nations to be ticked off his shopping list.

Tonga? Yes. Samoa? Yes. Both of those were at World Cups. Fiji have crossed Ireland’s path thrice during his time with the national side and all came in this same November window when, to be frank, he was tasked with frying bigger fish.