IF TIMING IS everything, then Dave Kilcoyne’s current form is ideal.
The 34-year-old loosehead prop’s contract with Munster is due to expire at the end of this season and he has been playing with the edge of a man determined to underline that he still has a huge amount to offer.
His strong performances have also earned the Limerick man a recall to the Ireland squad, with Kilcoyne coming into Andy Farrell’s Six Nations group as his injured Munster team-mate Jeremy Loughman drops out.
Kilcoyne has had to bounce back from injury himself, having undergone neck surgery last year. He got himself fit for the start of this season and has been important for Munster as their form has grown over the course of the campaign.
On Sunday in Toulouse, Kilcoyne was excellent again. His scrummaging was strong and he carried well, breaking three tackles in his nine carries.
Ireland’s loosehead depth chart has been in flux over the last year but it’s worth remembering that Kilcoyne has 48 caps worth of Test experience. His last outing in green was during last year’s Six Nations, with his injury meaning he missed the tour of New Zealand. He wasn’t picked in the main senior squad for the November Tests, but he did play for Ireland A against the New Zealand XV.
Having shown such strong form recently, he must now be in Farrell’s thoughts for a return to Ireland’s matchday 23 in the Six Nations. Andrew Porter is the clear first-choice at loosehead, while Cian Healy has been his back-up for the last two seasons.
Kilcoyne played for Ireland A in November. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Kilcoyne himself puts his Ireland recall down to Graham Rowntree’s Munster turning a corner collectively.
Advertisement
“Delighted, it’s probably on the back of being involved in good performances for Munster,” said Kilcoyne.
“You’re getting the benefit of the team going so well. I can’t wait for it.”
He feels that his ball-carrying looking more like its explosive best is down to time in the saddle this season.
“It’s just getting a run of games,” he said. “It’s something I’m improving all the time.
“It’s probably a strength of my game, but the more I improve it the better I can be. I’ll try and keep driving it.”
Kilcoyne was “gutted” in Toulouse after Munster’s 20-16 defeat, regretting their poor start to the game but taking heart from how they showed belief in their plan.
In the end, it was another defeat to the French side and it means Munster must travel to South Africa to face the Sharks in the Champions Cup round-of-16. It will be a big ask, but Kilcoyne is bullish about the direction his team are moving in.
“I’ve obviously been involved with Munster a long time, I’ve gone through a lot of different coaching groups and playing groups,” said Kilcoyne.
“The excitement inside, every day we’re going in and we’re so aligned, it’s been a long time since we’ve been going into this system that Denis [Leamy] has brought to D, Prendy [Mike Prendergast] has brought to attack, how Wig [Rowntree] has brought it all together.
Kilcoyne is confident about Munster's progress. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“Going into that environment where you’re getting better every day but you’re aligned every day, I think you can see that. You’re talking about belief, being on the road… those things are nearly irrelevant.
“I know it’s not actually irrelevant but we back the game plan, we believe in what we’re doing. There’s unbelievable belief, starting with the young lads to the middle group to the older lads and there’s great energy inside there.
“So it’s very exciting where this group can go. Even not to give away a cheap try at the end there, lads dug deep. They were camped on our line and I know it’s a small thing but keeping them out at the end, they’re big moments.”
Munster also scored one of the great European tries in the second half at Stade Ernest Wallon.
While Kilcoyne joked that he was more interested in admiring John Ryan’s scrum work, he said Munster weren’t surprised at being able to produce that Tadhg Beirne score.
“We’re seeing it in training,” he said. “We’re training at huge tempo with skills under huge pressure, which we haven’t done before.
“So we’re seeing this during the week at training, we’re seeing these moments at training, and then you actually get to see them coming to fruition in games like this.
“Obviously we got off to a shaky start to the season but you have to understand that you don’t just come in and everything clicks. It takes time and it is starting to click.”
Get instant updates on your province on The42 app. With Laya Healthcare, official health and wellbeing partner to Leinster, Munster and Connacht Rugby.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
27 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Kilcoyne's strong Munster form puts him in frame to add to Ireland caps
IF TIMING IS everything, then Dave Kilcoyne’s current form is ideal.
The 34-year-old loosehead prop’s contract with Munster is due to expire at the end of this season and he has been playing with the edge of a man determined to underline that he still has a huge amount to offer.
His strong performances have also earned the Limerick man a recall to the Ireland squad, with Kilcoyne coming into Andy Farrell’s Six Nations group as his injured Munster team-mate Jeremy Loughman drops out.
Kilcoyne has had to bounce back from injury himself, having undergone neck surgery last year. He got himself fit for the start of this season and has been important for Munster as their form has grown over the course of the campaign.
On Sunday in Toulouse, Kilcoyne was excellent again. His scrummaging was strong and he carried well, breaking three tackles in his nine carries.
Ireland’s loosehead depth chart has been in flux over the last year but it’s worth remembering that Kilcoyne has 48 caps worth of Test experience. His last outing in green was during last year’s Six Nations, with his injury meaning he missed the tour of New Zealand. He wasn’t picked in the main senior squad for the November Tests, but he did play for Ireland A against the New Zealand XV.
Having shown such strong form recently, he must now be in Farrell’s thoughts for a return to Ireland’s matchday 23 in the Six Nations. Andrew Porter is the clear first-choice at loosehead, while Cian Healy has been his back-up for the last two seasons.
Kilcoyne himself puts his Ireland recall down to Graham Rowntree’s Munster turning a corner collectively.
“Delighted, it’s probably on the back of being involved in good performances for Munster,” said Kilcoyne.
“You’re getting the benefit of the team going so well. I can’t wait for it.”
He feels that his ball-carrying looking more like its explosive best is down to time in the saddle this season.
“It’s just getting a run of games,” he said. “It’s something I’m improving all the time.
“It’s probably a strength of my game, but the more I improve it the better I can be. I’ll try and keep driving it.”
Kilcoyne was “gutted” in Toulouse after Munster’s 20-16 defeat, regretting their poor start to the game but taking heart from how they showed belief in their plan.
In the end, it was another defeat to the French side and it means Munster must travel to South Africa to face the Sharks in the Champions Cup round-of-16. It will be a big ask, but Kilcoyne is bullish about the direction his team are moving in.
“I’ve obviously been involved with Munster a long time, I’ve gone through a lot of different coaching groups and playing groups,” said Kilcoyne.
“The excitement inside, every day we’re going in and we’re so aligned, it’s been a long time since we’ve been going into this system that Denis [Leamy] has brought to D, Prendy [Mike Prendergast] has brought to attack, how Wig [Rowntree] has brought it all together.
“Going into that environment where you’re getting better every day but you’re aligned every day, I think you can see that. You’re talking about belief, being on the road… those things are nearly irrelevant.
“I know it’s not actually irrelevant but we back the game plan, we believe in what we’re doing. There’s unbelievable belief, starting with the young lads to the middle group to the older lads and there’s great energy inside there.
“So it’s very exciting where this group can go. Even not to give away a cheap try at the end there, lads dug deep. They were camped on our line and I know it’s a small thing but keeping them out at the end, they’re big moments.”
Munster also scored one of the great European tries in the second half at Stade Ernest Wallon.
While Kilcoyne joked that he was more interested in admiring John Ryan’s scrum work, he said Munster weren’t surprised at being able to produce that Tadhg Beirne score.
“We’re seeing it in training,” he said. “We’re training at huge tempo with skills under huge pressure, which we haven’t done before.
“So we’re seeing this during the week at training, we’re seeing these moments at training, and then you actually get to see them coming to fruition in games like this.
“Obviously we got off to a shaky start to the season but you have to understand that you don’t just come in and everything clicks. It takes time and it is starting to click.”
Get instant updates on your province on The42 app. With Laya Healthcare, official health and wellbeing partner to Leinster, Munster and Connacht Rugby.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
dave kilcoyne Ireland killer Munster