DAVE KILCOYNE FEELS like a different athlete this season and it’s down to two changes in particular.
During the pre-season, he altered his diet and increased the number of weights sessions he does each week.
The loosehead prop had had a chat with Ireland boss Joe Schmidt over the summer and did plenty of what he calls “self-analysis” before making those changes.
As a result, Kilcoyne has been “very happy” with his form for Munster so far in this campaign and is now ready to make his second Ireland appearance of the season on Saturday against the US.
The 29-year-old’s scrummaging has been strong and he feels this is, in part, down to his improved physical conditioning.
“I did a lot of change in pre-season with my diet and in terms of the amount of weight training I am doing during the week,” says Kilcoyne.
“I’ve seen big shifts in my body composition and the amount of weights I can do now. I’m lifting a lot more this year than I’ve ever lifted and that is benefiting me right across the game – not just scrum but right around the park.
“You get that direct transition into scrum. Those heavy lifts during the week, there is a correlation between that and my scrum.
“I’m probably doing an extra two weight sessions a week. I try and lift four to five times a week, plus a game. That’s probably the major change in my training.”
Four or five weights sessions a week sounds like a huge amount and it’s certainly more than most players get through but Kilcoyne has found the increased workload actually helps him to train and perform better.
“I just felt on a Sunday after a game on Saturday, the way the game is gone, props might only play 50 or 60 minutes,” said Kilcoyne.
“I felt that Sunday might be an opportunity to go in and do a weights session, to go in and get an early lift in the week. That’s an extra session done before the week even starts. I’d generally lift on my day off as well so that’s two weight sessions added on to your weekly schedule.
“I just saw a window there that I can maximise. I have my own beliefs about over-training. I believe you can either under-recover or under-eat but I don’t believe you can over-train. I know some S&Cs [strength and conditioning coaches] and others will disagree but that is my own belief.”
It’s easy to imagine Munster and Ireland’s strength and conditioning teams showing concern when Kilcoyne told them he’d be adding in two extra weights sessions to his workload, but the Limerick man says there’s been understanding.
“I’m 29 years of age, I’ll be 30 in December and you’ve got to know your own body.
“Certain things work for certain people, I find that the more weights I do, the better I find I play and the better I feel. Every player is different, I think.
“It’s been controlled, it’s not being silly.
“Going in on a Sunday, I suppose the worst thing I find that I can do on a Sunday is if you just stay at home on the couch or if you’re just not really recovering. So I think actually getting moving on a Sunday is the best thing.
“I go into Castletroy Park and I generally would go for a swim, get moving, do some body movement stuff and then I do my lift then, and then I actually feel way better on the Monday for training, so I feel like I’ve gotten rid of the soreness and the cobwebs from the Saturday and I’m ready to attack the week on a Monday.”
Kilcoyne has been paying even more attention to what he’s been eating since last season too, with the combined result being a change in his body composition.
“I haven’t trimmed down but I’ve definitely put on some lean muscle. I’m probably around the same weight but I had a big swing in my Dexa scan the last time,” says Kilcoyne.
“I think I’ve put on three kilos of lean muscle and lost three kilos of body fat. I’ve probably improved since. I had also changed my diet a lot. I was kinda nearly on a ketogenic diet or as close as I could be for pre-season and then as games started to ramp up, just for energy and trying to put on weight, I started increasing the carbs. So I have just found a diet that works for me at the moment.
“I had been in really good form in those autumn games [last season] and then I picked up an injury coming into the Six Nations and I probably tried to put on weight too quickly to get back for the Six Nations last year and I did it the wrong way and I thought it affected my game at the end of the season.
“I wasn’t too happy just with how I was playing and then I had a great chat with Joe during the Australia tour and went away and did some self-analysis, stripped down everything. I identified areas of my life where I could improve on – extra weights and my diet were the two areas I landed on.”
Having impressed off the bench against Italy in Chicago earlier this month, Kilcoyne was frustrated to have to watch the wins over Argentina and the All Blacks as a supporter.
There was an obvious delight for his team-mates last weekend but envy was among the strongest feelings and the former Ardscoil Rís student is keen to make his point this weekend against the US.
“This is the hungriest I’ve ever been in my career,” says Kilcoyne.
“Part of a winning team that’s beaten the All Blacks, you’re up there with the best teams in the world if you’re playing in that team so that just drives the hunger more and more.
“If I’m lucky enough to be selected this week I’d love to show what I can do within the system.”
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kilcoyne is in great form he needs to start this game to show joe that he’s better than mcgrath. jack has become really complacent
@Eoin Murphy: has Jack become complacent? I think he’s been fighting really hard for a starting slot if anything. Cian is still better, but I wouldn’t call Jack complacent.
@Paddington C.: I wouldn’t call him complacent but his form had been poor since the lions. McGrath was excellent last weekend but kilcoyne deserved a run against Argentina and didn’t get it. Killer could be a better bench option than McGrath, especially if you’re chasing a game and he deserves his shot. Unfortunately we won’t learn much against the USA.
@Jim Demps: yeah, I’m not passing comment one way or the other on Kilcoyne, just wondering if it’s fair to say McGrath is complacent.
@Jim Demps: Jack has been in good form since returning from his injury and was v good off the bench against Argentina too, his scrummaging, tackle and ruck stats back that up and he was again very good last week.
Ireland are very rarely chasing games these days (thank god) and I think Jack offers what Joe wants from a sub prop a seamless transition from the starter to finisher.
I agree tho that Killer needed more game time and maybe he could’ve started or been a bench option vs Argentina considering they were down to their 3rd and 4th choice Tightheads
It’s great for Cian and Jack that the likes of Killer, Cronin and Buckley are playing great rugby it keeps them on their twos. We have great depth at Lh imo. But I still think only 2 will go to the wc. Can see Cian and Jack being the 2.
@Ian Verdon: yeah I’d say you’re right there. It’s unlikely killer or Cronin will break into any match day squad. Schmidt clearly doesn’t rate them which is fair enough.
@Jim Demps: He rates Killer over Cronin thats for sure, I prefer Cronin tbh but my opinion matters not. I think Killer should’ve been given more opportunities last year for sure but in the summer tour and since coming back from injury I think Jack’s form has been as good as anyone’s. Cian is just on another level when he’s on top form.
Jack gives that dependability that Joe loves, he gives away very few pens and his work load when coming off the bench is exceptional( not saying Killers isn’t) he must be proving to Joe tho in training that he deserves to be the 2nd choice Lh so that’s more than enough for me.
I know being a Munster man you want to see Killer there and so you should. There’s not a lot between the two it Jack overall is the more all rounded prop.
@Paddington C.: i understand what you’re saying but if he was good enough to be a lion then he should be pushing harder behind healy. I know that healy is a very good player but the gap between them is a country mile and jack doesn’t look like he’s going to do anything about it anytime soon
@Jim Demps: I think it’s harsh on Kilcoyne to say Scmidt clearly doesn’t rate him. Just because he rates McGrath more doesn’t mean he doesn’t rate Kilcoyne at all. Schmidt clearly rates Sexton the most and Carbery the second most, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t rate Ross. He rates eveyone in line, I’m sure he rates Carty even if Carty is too far down the pecking order to get called into the squad. There is a pecking order for Scmidt if the people he thinks best capable of executing his game plan and I’d say it’s 10 deep in every position, he doesn’t rate or not rate guys in the way that an Eddie O’Sullivan type coach used to.
@Eoin Murphy: When Healy is on top form there’s very few if any looseheads than can match him in the world, he’s on another level to any other Irish looseheads.
Every player goes through dips in form(Healy did a couple of years ago) and Jacks form last year was poor by his very high standards he has set over the 4-5 years previous to that but it’s improving again. There is a gap between Healy and Jack but I still see there being a slight gap between Jack and killer/Cronin. Again Joe wouldn’t be picking him if he wasn’t ticking all the required boxes in training so he must be doing most of what Joe requires right.
@Paddington C.: totally agree
@Eoin Murphy: yeah, just to add to what Ian said, you have to remember that when McGrath was #1 and Healy was #17 it was because Healy was playing way below his best (and was suffering from nerve damage), not because McGrath was playing way above what he is now. McGrath is probably slightly below his best, but Healy is right back on top form and for as long as he is playing on top for he’ll be #1.
@Paddington C.: I’m talking in terms of selection. While I’d agree that McGrath has a higher ceiling I’d say that kilcoyne has been playing the better rugby this season and last. His form certainly warranted a look in at either the Argentinian or NZ games off the bench but he got neither. A cameo, albeit an impressive one, against Italy and a more than likely start against the US won’t tell us anything about whether or not he can hack it against the big teams.
@Jim Demps: not getting into The Who’s better but McGrath’s form has not been poor it’s just not as good as Healy’s or the form he’s shown before the lions.
@Chris Mc: I’m not getting into that either. All being fit id go with Healy and McGrath. Just saying that Killer deserved an opportunity given his form. A bench place against the argies would have been fair reward.
@Jim Demps: picking a sub on the basis that he’s better if we are chasing a game is irrelevant for most all of Ireland’s games. We very rarely are in positions that we are chasing games. The vast vast majority of the time we need our bench to continue what’s already happening on the pitch and not give away anything silly.
@Jim Demps: The could be said about Rhys, Conan, Beirne, Bealham, Scannell to name a few. Again we don’t have the opportunity to see which players are impressing Joe in training and obviously Jack is otherwise he wouldn’t be selected. I think if he came back from his injury this season and was poor then he would’ve been dropped but he’s been in good form and he proved that against Argentina and New Zealand.
Form isn’t the only factor that decides ones place if it was there would be considerable changes to the match day 23. It’s all about which players are best in putting Joe’s systems and tactics for each specific game in training onto the playing field. Joe must think Jack is the best 17 option atm and his performances and the teams results are backing up Joe’s selection process.
@Jim Demps: Jim did you ever consider even for a second that Healy and Mc Grath are simply better.
Saturday proved it.
The last 2 lions tours provide rich evidence as well.
@Paddington C.: fair point
@Oran Burns: i think you’re missing my point. My last post clearly says that I think they are better. I’m simply saying that killer never got an opportunity to show what he can do
@Ian Verdon: my point isn’t about who’s better. It’s about someone who’s playing well and not getting an opportunity against someone who’s maybe not playing to their best ability. The same could be said for Beirne and cooney certainly.
@Chris Mc: if giving away silly penalties was the criteria then Healy wouldn’t be near the team. We both know there are a lot of factors at play here. I would have picked McGrath against NZ but killer should have had a run against Argentina. If you don’t think so then fair enough but he’s putting up his hand for selection and isn’t getting the chance in my book.
@Jim Demps: I get you but I think over his last 4-5 appearances Jack has proved he is playing as well as or (in Joe’s opinion) better than Killer so I don’t see it as a battle of who’s in form as they both are(wasn’t the case last season I accept). Beirne can feel a little aggrieved but Toner has proved how essential he is in deploying Joe’s game plan and Hendy was v good off the bench but as I said before his time will come. Cooney for me is the only one who can feel genuinely hard done by but again Lukey must be adapting to Joe’s systems better also another big benefit for him is that he has a personal and professional relationship with all 3 Irish tens and that is a big factor in choosing a 9.
@Jim Demps: Has Kilcoyne not had 22 Irish caps to show what he can do?
@Jim Demps: I never said it was. Just that our subs are more likely asked to do more of the same than change things up.
Some players are just behind players who can’t be shifted.
Ruddock is a bit like kilcoyne and deserves to be first choice apart from the fact POM is just the perfect 6 and is not for moving. He may just have to bide his time and take his chance when it comes along and it will come.
@Andrew Hurley: I’d say he’s done very well this last year. 23 caps sure but the majority of them were against much weaker sides.
@Chris Mc: it certainly looks like Schmidt has no intention of making changes at loosehead anyway.
@Jim Demps: 15 of his 22 caps have been against Tier 1 nations.
He talks about changing his diet and then says “This is the hungriest I’ve ever been in my career,”. Someone give the man a burger
A lot of honesty in this interview but to me it reads as a guy who’s only just copped on to his true potential ( at 29 !) . And yes you can overtrain ! It also confirms my thoughts that while he’s a good ball carrier he was lacking in the scrum . If he had been around 15 years ago he’d be an automatic pick but guys like Healy , McGrath etc are better still and he took an age to realise that to get the jersey he has to do MORE than them . If he gets it he’ll have earned it.
@Limón Madrugada: Whilst I do agree everyone is different (and hence why S&C coaches adapt training for different players) for him to say that you can’t overtrain is an expression from someone who doesn’t sound very clever.
@Andrew Hurley: Very shrewd observation.
Overtraining can leave a lasting negative legacy when what is basically a short career is over.
Anyone with an iota of sports fitness knowledge will tell you that.
Jeez the country is awash with strength and conditioning coaches in all sports.
I don’t what players did in past eras without these lads and ladies !!
Aboy killer
@Anthony Palmer: good thing you didn’t accidentally place a space between the A and the B there