OVER THE LAST week or so, there has been a noticeably different atmosphere around the Irish rugby camp, the inclusion of 13 uncapped players providing a fresh injection of enthusiasm and energy around the place.
“It’s definitely a different squad, a very exciting squad,” says Dave Kilcoyne, one of the few old heads among the young, hungry group of players assembled by Andy Farrell for the July Tests.
“A lot of eager lads in there and fresh faces, which always (brings) a great energy and buzz about the place. They are really eager to learn. It has been a kind of seamless transition really for lads into the system, (it’s) very exciting.”
The next two weekends of rugby, which sees Ireland play Japan and the USA, are all about looking to the future. Kilcoyne, a veteran of 43 caps and 10 Test starts for his country, is hoping to just get some good minutes under his belt after injury issues limited his opportunities to play across the latter half of the season.
As a senior figure in this camp, Kilcoyne, like Munster teammate Peter O’Mahony, will be expected to lead by example on the training pitch, but the loosehead explains that some of the younger members of the Munster contingent have been quickly making their presence felt.
“Craig (Casey) was in during the Six Nations, you talk about leaders, Craig is a guy that you don’t put down as a leader, he is not in the leadership group per se but he is certainly a leader in Munster and he has brought that in here,” he says.
“He is flying around the place, bringing incredible energy. He is another excellent professional. He drives the energy around the place, gets people going and it is great to see him in here if he gets a chance.
“Then you look at Gav (Coombes) and the season he had with Munster, he’s managed the most tries ever scored by one player in a season with Munster. His last game he got four tries, he is an incredible talent.
“We have known about Gav for a few years. He just chipped away. He used to be at all the senior sessions creating havoc for the starting team, disrupting mauls and scrums; he was just a big ‘nause.’ But then he was given his big chance and we saw what he could actually do.
“Steve (Larkham), Johann (van Graan) and Whig (Graham Rowntree) really backed him and I think he has taken his chance with both hands. He’s devastating with ball in hand, great over the ball, good offloader, there is so much to his game. He could be a super player for Ireland for many years to come.”
Kilcoyne has shared a dressing room with plenty of talented backrow players down the years at Munster, and says he has no doubt Coombes is ready to make the step up to Test rugby.
“We have had these great backrows in Munster over the years, James Coughlan, CJ, they all bring different things. Gav is naturally the biggest I have seen. He can be anywhere from 114 to 119kg depending on what breakfast he has in the morning.
“He has so much to his game. He is an excellent ball carrier, an excellent poacher, excellent at offloading, has very good spatial awareness; he doesn’t just keep his head down all the time.
He has an unbelievable eye for the line, his try against Toulouse was like something you’d see at U12s where he tipped and carried three or four lads over the line. That team won the Heineken Cup and the French Top 14, these aren’t airy fairy teams, he has proven it on the big stage. Hopefully if he gets his chance now he can show what he can do in a green jersey.”
And while much of the focus has centered on the enthusiastic young crop of players looking to make an impression over the next two weeks, Kilcoyne says he’s also relishing the opportunity to get back out in a green jersey.
“I actually can’t wait to get out and just play,” he continues.
“I suppose the older you get and the more mature you get you need to appreciate that these chances don’t come around the whole time and you’ve got to really enjoy it and take them with both hands.
“If selected, I hope to put in a really good performance for Ireland and try and help us win.
“Obviously, I started that England game in the Six Nations and I got knocked out early on in that game. That was disappointing but, look, that’s rugby. I’ve been blessed with years without picking up any niggles or injuries and I was very lucky, maybe even taking it for granted a little bit.
“Then I just went through a patch where I was coming back and just picking up niggles. I might get a HIA, this kind of thing. I had my ankle. None of them were too serious but it just compounded a little bit and, look, thank God, the last couple of months I’ve just been injury free and really enjoying my rugby.
“I know it’s been a bit of a stop-start season for everyone but, yeah, I’d love to put two games back-to-back now with Ireland.”
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