IFS,BUTS & MAYBES

Despite being one of the best props in the world, Ireland's ANDREW PORTER hasn't packed his Lions bag yet...

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MY FIRST big memory of Leinster is going to that 2009 Heineken Cup semi-final with my cousin,” Andrew Porter recalls. “You could feel the energy all across that stadium and the sense of rivalry. The roof lifted when Brian O'Driscoll intercepted that pass from Ronan O'Gara to score his try. From that game on I knew - this life was for me. It was just a matter of getting there.”

The sun is shining across the rugby and cricket pitches in Clontarf when Porter takes his seat for a chat. A photoshoot has wrapped and, next, Porter will head down to the pitch with a player from Clontarf rugby club, tossing passes and cutting lines for some video content. The Leinster and Ireland loosehead pulls a draught from his takeaway coffee and invites me to fire away.

The Six Nations is in the rearview mirror and club rugby soaks all the focus. Well, most of it. There is a certain British & Irish Lions squad to be selected and announced in May. Porter knows the questions are coming ,but is careful to qualify some of his observations with ‘if’ and ‘hopefully’. After all, he made the 2021 Lions squad for South Africa only to miss out on the tour through a wretched toe injury picked up in the Rainbow Cup.

Form and fitness have been superb since then, and his ability to go deep into matches while still making telling impacts have him braced for a second Lions call-up.

Porter started all five games of Ireland’s unsuccessful attempt to claim three consecutive Six Nations titles and was at his most impressive in wins over Scotland and Italy. He looks assured for a Lions spot and should be pushing for the No 1 jersey. Ireland scrum coach John Fogarty is assuming that role for the Lions, so it seems the perfect place to start.