IT HASN’T been without its challenges, but Jack Boyle’s first season as a bona fide Leinster senior player is proving to be an extremely productive one.
Following three years as a member of the eastern province’s Academy – a period that saw him amassing 11 first-team appearances for the Blues – Boyle joined James Culhane and Paddy McCarthy in earning a spot in Leo Cullen’s senior set-up for the 2024/25 season.
A part of the Ireland U20s side that earned a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2022, he was originally named in the Emerging Ireland squad for their tour of South Africa in October only for a foot injury to rule the loosehead prop out of contention.
Upon regaining full fitness, Boyle started in Leinster’s United Rugby Championship triumph over Connacht in Galway on 19 October and was subsequently selected as a training panellist in the Ireland camp for last month’s Autumn Nations Series.
He later returned to the Leinster team for another URC interprovincial victory at the expense of Ulster, before making his European Champions Cup debut as a starter against Bristol at Ashton Gate last Sunday week.
“I suppose a bit of a whirlwind start to the season. I thought I went pretty well in pre-season and picked up a bit of an injury for a few weeks. That set me back and then I actually ended up missing the Emerging Ireland tour, which was a real pity. It was something I was looking forward to,” Boyle said at a Leinster media briefing on Tuesday.
“I was delighted to get into the [Irish] environment. You hear the lads speaking about it so much, always ranting and raving about it. How much they love the environment and it’s the people in there, coaches, players, backroom staff, that make it special. I suppose getting a taster is something that makes me hungry to try to get back there.
“The ball’s in my court. They had a look at me and it’s up to me to push on and hopefully get back into camp. I suppose there’s a path there, but it’s up to me to keep playing well. To put one foot in front of the other game-by-game and see how I go.”
While his time with the Ireland senior squad saw Boyle measuring himself against some of the very best props in the country, this is something he arguably experiences every week as a provincial player.
The first and second-choice looseheads respectively from an international perspective, Andrew Porter and Cian Healy also consistently challenge each other for the number one jersey in the Leinster side. Despite having an ultimate ambition to make the position his own in years to come, Boyle takes plenty of inspiration from this experienced loosehead duo.
Although he isn’t competing with them for selection, Boyle also looks towards tighthead specialists Tadhg Furlong and Rabah Slimani for guidance as he continues his progression through the professional ranks of the game.
“Ports has been unbelievable to me. Not only Ports, but someone like Cian Healy. Then the likes of Rabah Slimani, Tadhg Furlong as well. I am lucky and grateful and privileged to be in the position I am in — learning off four or five of the best in the business. It’s a great, vast knowledge from different parts of world rugby. Not only Irish rugby.
“I’m grateful and delighted I get to learn off these lads. Ever since I got into the system two or three years ago when I was in the building, Cian Healy and Andrew Porter have been unbelievable to me. Watching training with me, helping me, giving me little nuggets of knowledge. I’m extremely grateful and hopefully they know that.”
After missing out on last weekend’s Champions Cup win over Clermont at the Aviva Stadium, Boyle is expected to feature against Connacht for the second time this season when Peter Wilkins’ westerners pay a visit to the same venue in the URC this Saturday.
While there is a strong chance he will find himself face-to-face with an experienced operator in the form of Finlay Bealham — who started all four games that Ireland played in the Autumn Nations Series — Boyle stressed that he and the rest of the Leinster front-row are ready to leave their mark on the contest.
“Finlay is an incredible player. He’s a great man as well. I got on very well with him, but it’s up to us to get our process right and to stamp our authority on the game. We’re looking to have a go at set-piece time as well. We’re not just there to give it a dead duck, we’re properly ready to have a go,” Boyle added.
As a Munster fan I was disappointed to hear he was leaving us last season and also was not happy to hear he was heading up the road to Leinster where we would have to deal with him in the inter-pros, that’s how good of a player he is. We would have taken it a lot less personally if he had moved to the UK or France, but then think of what Irish rugby would have been missing out on. We will get over it eventually and I’m delighted that he is still in Irish rugby because there is so much our up-and-coming and even our experienced 2nd rows can learn from him. Was he wrong to join Leinster? No, not at all. Put simply, if you’re let go from your job in Microsoft, and Apple offer you a job up the road, you’re probably going to accept if it suits you…
@Rob O’Connor: Realistically speaking, we are probably not going to win the European cup this year, so I hope he helps Leinster get their 5th star, and then we get 4 in a row after that. Because that is what all this emotion is about, rivalry and bragging rights between Munster and Leinster.
@Rob O’Connor: So after his contract wasn’t renewed by Munster, you want him to uproot his family again and move to another country just so you feel better about yourself? Some fans desperately need to get over themselves
@PJ Smith: It was more that he was going to leinster. There would be no qualms if it was ulster or connacht. I don’t hold any grudge against him. Im happy to hear that he loves living in Ireland, just wish he didn’t go to join the old enemy.
@James Daly: As a Connacht fan why would he go to them or Ulster. Rugby is a short career…he got way more money and security for his family at Leinster and he has a realistic chance of huge success there. It was a no brainer. It’s good to see there are a lot of level headed Munster supporters in the comments who aren’t holding grudges. But you’ll always have a few who love to be offended
@James Daly: It’s fine to feel annoyed about him going to Leinster, it’s the entitlement some people have saying he should have gone elsewhere meaning their interest as a supporter is worth more than a player’s livelihood. It’s insanely arrogant.
@Rob O’Connor: Christ you’d want to get over him quick, you got rid of him!
@PJ Smith: Pretty sure Rob said the exact opposite. He said that he was right to join Leinster!
@PJ Smith: he was at pains to explain why he DIDNT begrudge his move to leinster. You seem determined to take some imagined offence.
Munster fans upset and booing Snyman, upset that he moved to rivals Leinster, but they did the exact same thing in signing Farrell and Burns.
@Kingshu: similar but not the exact same as you point out.
@Kingshu: Redden, Ward, Hogan, Wallace, Fogarty, Toland Ross ….. all Munster who went to Leinster …….
@Joe O’Regan: Burns told he wasn’t getting a new contract at Ulster, Munster sign him, Farrell told he wasnt getting a new contact at Connacht, Munster sign him. Synman told he wasn’t getting a new contract at Munster, Leinster sign him. Seams the same to me.
@Kingshu: munster were forced into picking between Snyman and Kleyn because for some mad reason Kleyn wasn’t deemed good enough for Ireland’s extended training squad of 45 players.
The other two, both Irish qualified and could have been retained by their provinces but were released by their provinces voluntarily.
Munster were forced to release one of Kleyn or Snyman after Kleyn became NIQ.
Ulster and Connacht weren’t forced into releasing the players.
Who are they ultimately replacing at Munster? Two more league winning players who are now playing for six nations rivals.
@Joe O’Regan: Well said.
@Joe O’Regan: So Andy Farrell should bend knee and go against himself to pacify Munster fans? What an entitled world ye live in
@Joe O’Regan: I understand that, and you miss the point. Why boo Snyman? He is no more at fault for leaving Munster, than Burns or Farrell for leaving Ulster and Connacht, none of them requested to leave. Synman hasn’t done anything more than Burns or Farrell did, so why happy to sign them, but boo Snyman?
@Joe O’Regan: I think we saw on Saturday night why Kleyn wasn’t deemed good enough for Ireland – he did eff all. Munster certainly chose to keep the wrong player.
@Kingshu: yeah agreed. He shouldn’t be booed. He was happy at Munster.
@James: give him a chance. He is only back after a long injury lay-off.
@Joe O’Regan: the reason was that Ryan, beirne, Henderson and joe Mccarthy were all deemed better by farrell. Simple he didn’t fit into farrells, easterby and PoC’s plans.
@PJ Smith: of course not. Just baffling that players in red hot form weren’t worth a look in an extended training squad before finalising the World Cup squad.
@chris mcdonnell: I thought based on how well he was playing that he was worth another look. Long term Ireland will reap the benefits of McCarthy going to the World Cup over him.
It would have been a big call to leave Henderson at home for him.
The South Africans gave him plenty of game time at the World Cup.
The knock on impact obviously being Snyman leaving.
@Kingshu: it’s typically petty Munster fan behaviour
@Joe O’Regan: Baffling to you maybe but let’s be honest, there’s an awful lot that goes into being Ireland coach and selecting your players that you nir me have any clue about. Also if Andy had no intention of selecting him, including him just to prevent him reverting back to SA eligible would be particularly cruel on the player.
@Joe O’Regan: It would have been the wrong thing for Kleyn if he had been included in an extended squad without a realistic chance of selection for the RWC. I would be surprised if he hadn’t tested the water with Farrell and then chose SA and a chance to play in another World Cup, never mind winning it!!
We need only play him sparingly otherwise he’ll join the growing injury list. Everyone talking about Munster’s injury list but ours is pretty big too:
P McCarthy
Boyle
Barron
Kelleher
McKee
Sheehan
Baird
J McCarthy
Conan
Larmour
TOB
Russell
JOB
@Andrew Slazenger: Boyle’s back in training at least.
Leinsters’ problem is now to ensure that Jamie Osborne starts, he’s turning into a great player whether at 12 or 15. JGP is their most important player, he’s irreplaceable.
@mecko Daly: phenomenal player. Didn’t really appreciate how big he is until Saturday. Keenan going to the Olympics was his gain.
RG is not going to a bench player, he is better than both McCarthy and Ryan. Whereas Munster have been gutted over the last 18 months, losing RG, Carbery, Frich, Earls, Conway and Zebo, Leinster have spent big money bringing in RG, Barrett and Silaini to get that 5th star.
@Liam23: looks like they are going to manage his game time otherwise why was he not brought back on when Baird was injured. He will be needed during November & 6 nations windows and will be great to hell bring on younger 2nd rows.
@Liam23: Munster chose to let RG, Frisch and Carberry go. They actively let Frisch leave a year early for cash. Zeno and Earls retirement were signposted years ago. The only surprise in that list was Conway.
@Andrew A: Yes they choose to let Snyman go but based on history it was the right decision and the only one they could make.
Again the sensible decision was to let Frisch go given his decision to opt for France.
And Carbery was a liabily from the day he arrived injury wise. Got injured on his debut for Bordeaux and out for 4 weeks minimum.
I genuinely thought Zebo would go for another year as he was starting to play some great stuff last season.
@Andrew A: no they chose to let Carbery go. Carbery had a lot of injuries and wanted to head to france when he was out of the reckoning with Ireland. Why would Munster keep him if the player himself wanted to leave ? It was the right decision for Carbery and Munster. Best of luck to him. He picked up an injury almost straight away and I hope it doesn’t stop him having a great season.
They were forced to let Frisch and Synman go. If it was as black and white as you are making it out to be, there is no way they would not be still at Munster.
@Stanley Marsh: good to see a sensible post here without rose tinted glasses :)
@Liam23: they can afford to spend a few pound considering they have home produced much of their and Ireland’s squad. Can’t fault them for reaping their own rewards. The question is what are the other provinces doing to close the gap including my own, Connacht. Need to develop more schools rugby in the other provinces
@Liam23: Ryan is the form guy of the 3 at the moment. Totally different game to the other two. It’s looking very well rounded in the 2nd row. Maybe something could happen this year. Something else I mean
For such a big man, he doesn’t put himself about near enough. Was very lazy in Munsters’ key games last season. Bar a few ridiculous one-handed offloads, majority of which don’t come off, he’s offered very little. Be interesting to see when the big knockout games come around later in the season for Leinster will he willing to leave it all out there. I doubt it somehow.
@Ray Ridge: I think you are being a bit hard on Snyman there Ray.
The only big question mark I have over Snyman is will he stay injury free for a sustained period of games over the season. Jackman said the same thing on Saturday.
@Joe O’Regan: I think lads are sometimes fooled by his sheer size and silly haircut. He tends to stand out more than most out on the field, but you if actually look closely at what he contributes it’s not a whole pile in terms of physicality in relation to his size.
@Ray Ridge: i can see where you are coming from to a degree. He is a high risk player with the offloads and it is probably worth the risk cos when it comes off it opens up the opposition.
He has scored tries like the one on Saturday for Munster and South Africa in the past.
He didn’t half clear out Tom Farrell from a ruck on Saturday.
Time will tell and I will remember this come April/ May when the real heat is on and keep an eye out for him.
@Joe O’Regan: Hopefully, he stays injury free and gets a run of games.
@Ray Ridge: and absolutely nobody else agrees with you Ray which says a lot about you lol
@anthony davoren: Sure nobody likes you when you tell the truth.
@Ray Ridge: Ray shut up you absolute clown you haven’t a notion about rugby or any or other sport.
@Ray Ridge: steamer
Love RG already. Top player and a top man.
Who ya starting at 6 Vs the all blacks. Id personally go izuzchu but can see the case for beirne
@Gary Galligan: Joe mccarthy and Ryan in the row and beirney, jvdv and Doris in the back row.
@Gary Galligan: baird are deegan
@Gary Galligan: has to be Beirne…