WE’RE ALMOST HALFWAY through a chat with Andrew Porter when the question of his unusual fashion choice is finally raised. There’s only a handful of players in the Ireland squad who could enter the Abbotstown media room wearing an IRFU polo shirt with the sleeves cut off and not have it be the first question posed.

As it happens, the one-off look wasn’t his choice, with the sleeves removed by a teammate Porter refuses to “rat out” to the press. Whatever bit of mischief has been going on behind the scenes, Porter wears it well, and it serves as a glimpse toward something the Ireland and Leinster prop will highlight repeatedly across his 15-minutes in the hot seat. The Ireland camp is a good place to be at the moment, and that atmosphere is feeding into the performances we’re seeing on the pitch.

Porter admits this is the most he’s enjoyed his rugby, and it’s easy to see why. Now a 71-cap veteran in the Ireland squad, he’s well established as one of the most important members of a group who are chasing a piece of Six Nations history this year. At provincial level, Leinster are unbeaten this season and at home he’s preparing to become a father for the first time.

Most observers would feel this is a player currently at the peak of his powers.

“I’ve great confidence going into games and I suppose when you have that confidence, it makes things a bit easier and the guys around you have great confidence as well,” he says.

“Things seem to click into place when you’re playing to your potential and you’re just giving your best effort. I’m just trying to give my best effort and put my best foot forward, game in and game out, and in training as well, so when you’re backing that up with detail as well, I suppose everything falls into place when you have that mental clarity – knowing what’s expected of you physically going into games.”

The stats never tell the full story but in Porter’s case, the numbers go a long way to indicating the level of work the loosehead gets through in a match.

Porter is just one of four Irish players to have hit double figures for carries across Ireland’s opening two Six Nations wins, registering 13, a number only bettered by Hugo Keenan [18]. He’s also one of six Irish players to have registered over 30 ruck involvements [32], while only Josh van der Flier [40] and Caelan Doris [36] have made more tackles [30].

Porter has been one of Ireland's top tacklers. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Then there’s the minutes, which are almost taken for granted at this stage. Porter went 73 minutes against England and followed up with 69 against Scotland. Props of a previous generation read that and shudder – last week England’s Dan Cole described Porter as “an extra backrower” in the Ireland team.

Porter himself doesn’t feel his output is overly dissimilar to what he’s been producing over the last few seasons.

“I’ve always wanted to be a player with a high work ethic and work the best I can for my team-mates,” he says.

“It doesn’t feel like I’m doing a lot when I’m out there. It feels like I’m doing my job and doing my best for the team and that’s all I’m looking to do, really. I’m not looking pull a rabbit out of a hat, not looking to do anything shiny or spectacular. I’m just looking to give my best and do my job.”

Truth is, this has been going on for a while now. You have to go back to the 2018/19 season – when Porter was still playing tighthead – for the last time his minutes looked more like the standard return for a prop. That season, his longest shift for club or country was 58 minutes against Italy in the Six Nations. In every campaign since he’s clocked 70 minutes or more at least twice. Leinster’s URC defeat of Munster back in October was the last time he went the full 80 – something he’s managed eight times across the last five seasons.

Those fitness levels set him apart in his position, but where does it come from?

“It definitely comes through the games, playing, and you can see the games as working on your fitness as well, the amount you’re sprinting and the easy option would be just to plod along and hope the ball doesn’t come towards you, but I suppose I’ve changed my mindset to try and get to everywhere I need to be. The extra minutes has helped that and helped my development as a player as well.”

It also helps when the hard work behind the scenes doesn’t always feel that hard.

“I’ve always enjoyed training,” he adds.

Porter starts for Ireland in Cardiff today. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

“Some days are obviously tougher than others, pre-season you’re kind of dreading a small bit, there’s good days and bad days, but bottom line I couldn’t see myself doing anything else really at the moment, where else would I rather be really? In training you’re in with your mates, even if you do have tough pitch sessions and a tough pre-season, you’re there doing it alongside your mates and your teammates as well. It’s a win-win situation really.”

Porter’s current run of form has him in pole position for a place in Andy Farrell’s Lions team this summer. Back in 2021 Porter was selected in the initial Lions squad but then had to pull out of the tour to South Africa due to a toe injury. Four years later, it’s an ambition he’s keen to realise.

“I mean, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about it, or that it wasn’t in the back of my mind but I’m not letting it distract me. I’ve got so much going on currently, both in my personal life with my wife pregnant at home and then everything going on here so I’ve plenty on my plate to keep me busy in the meantime.

I’m focused on the championship now and our game this week and games coming down the line and everything going on in Leinster as well so yeah, it’s something that burns away in the back of my mind – missing out four years ago, due to injury.

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“It’s somewhere I definitely want to be but obviously I have to put in the performances to get there and that’s what I’m trying to do at the moment.”

As Porter says, the day job is keeping him plenty busy. Today it’s Wales in Cardiff [KO 2.15pm, Virgin Media One], where Ireland are tasked with avoiding an upset against a home side who parted ways with Warren Gatland last week, and are out to end a run of 14 straight defeats.

“Wales are a different team when they’re playing at home. They’re a very proud nation and they take a lot of pride from playing in the Principality.

“It’s always a great atmosphere, playing there under a closed roof. It’s definitely a step in terms of atmosphere and the noise levels go up again. It makes it that bit more difficult on the field trying to listen for calls and stuff like that as well. It’s a great experience to be a part of.

“I’ve been on both sides of the result over there, winning and losing, so it’s a fortress for them. We’ll be looking to go out there and give our best.”