HE'S NO RUN OF MILNE TALENT!

Michael marked birthday with try in Paris defeat

- BY DEREK FOLEY

THERE were 75,000 people at Michael Milne's 27th birthday party last Thursday.

But only about 5,000 of them were Irish and cheering when he delivered his own remarkable birthday present and crossed for a try in the defeat in Paris.

The Munster prop is now one of only 19 Irishmen to have done so in a Six Nations game - and one of only eight forwards.

"It wasn't too bad physically actually," says Milne of the occasion. "It was obviously very tough, but I've probably been gymming now for a while, so it wasn't too bad, but yeah, it was tough."

And then the try nine minutes after getting on, and another 60 seconds of worry as it had to survive a big screen review...

"A small bit, but thank god I hit it down there amid bodies so he couldn't see it. But after he asked me did I score it, I just gave him a nod. Please god, he gives it to me."

Milne's first Six Nations involvement had been quite the experience.

"Yeah, it was good. I was actually 24th man for the French game in the Aviva three years ago, so I got a bit of a taste there.