IRELAND’S DISJOINTED PERFORMANCE against Fiji today won’t have pleased the Irish coaches but for some of those involved it was a memorable occasion that will live long in the memory.

During the week, Jeremy Loughman spoke well about what winning his first Test cap meant to him. Born in the USA, it’s been a long journey to this point, Loughman moving to the UK as a kid before the family settled in Ireland.

It was a nice touch to see the Munster prop make his Ireland debut alongside Joey Carbery today, the pair having been teammates back at Athy RFC. Another nod to the road travelled by the 27-year-old.

“It was an incredibly special day,” Loughman said.

“I was lucky enough to have my girlfriend and sister there, which meant so much. My parents unfortunately couldn’t make it over from the States but I know they were watching. An incredibly special day for myself and my family. It was really good. 

“It was such an amazing day, something you look forward to and dream about so much from when you’re a young kid. It’s been a long journey and to get that (first cap), the confidence builds in yourself and the drive to do it again is incredible. 

“I could feel it straight away after. I was like, ‘I’d love a bit of this again now’. I don’t want to make it a one-cap thing, I want to keep driving on and getting better and better every game.”

Loughman said it was special moment to find out he’d be playing today.

We were sitting in the meeting when the team went up. I couldn’t believe it. It’s something you dream about so much as a kid. To see my name there in a starting role, it took me off guard a little. I couldn’t even remember the rest of the team! 

“It wasn’t until I went out to training that I could see the rest of the team, who was around me. It was incredible, an unforgettable moment. I can’t really put into words how special it was. 

“I was straight on to text the family group chat and my girlfriend. They were non-stop ringing me, I think they forgot I had a full day of training. They were so happy for me, they just wanted to call and talk. I had to tell them I’d call them back at the end of the day, I still had a few bits to do here. I know how special it was and how much it meant to them.”

Loughman was one of three Tests debutants against Fiji, with Cian Prendergast and Jack Crowley both introduced as second-half substitutes. 

“When I started taking rugby seriously when I was about 13 in Newbridge College, it was always the dream (to play for Ireland),” Prendergast said.

“You’d see people in Newbridge College that have represented Ireland and think,’Why can’t I be one of them?’ Then I saw Jimmy (O’Brien) play last week and it made me even hungrier to play because it’s so special and it’s so special for the community as well to say they have someone that has been capped by Ireland.

(I’ve felt) probably every emotion you could think of in the last couple of days. There’s been nerves, there’s been excitement, there’s been fear, there’s nearly been crying, laughing… It’s been incredible. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, I can’t really describe how I felt. 

“Coming on, it was like on Monday I blinked and then all of a sudden I’m here now. It’s been crazy.”

Both players will acknowledge that it wasn’t the easiest game to make a strong impression in, and with opportunities limited between now and the World Cup, for some of Farrell’s matchday 23 today will have felt like a missed opportunity.

“I think in fairness, they reward performances and I think if you’re consistently training well and playing well you’ll get an opportunity and I was one of the lucky few to get a first cap this week and it’s been incredible,” Prendergast added.

“We’re probably disappointed with elements and how scrappy we let the game get. Even with them down to 13 men, we still allowed them to throw the ball around loosely and that probably wasn’t the game we wanted to play. We felt like we could have stamped our authority on the game a little bit more.”  

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