IT WAS QUITE some time in the making \u2014 six years, in fact \u2014 so Dave Kilcoyne was always going to make his first Six Nations start in green count, even if the collective performance left a lot to be desired.<\/p>\n
The Munster prop was one of few to emerge from the Roman battle on the right side of the ledger, having earned his starting opportunity on the back of an impressive run of form with the southern province.<\/p>\n
Kilcoyne made 10 carries in Rome. Source: Dan Sheridan\/INPHO<\/p>\n
Skipping ahead of Leinster\u2019s Jack McGrath in the loosehead pecking order, Kilcoyne won his 27th cap at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday afternoon, but just his sixth from the outset and first start in the championship.<\/p>\n
Carrying with typical belligerence into contact, the 30-year-old was one of few in green to make metres in the carry while underlining his overall dynamism and work-rate with 10 tackles.<\/p>\n
On a frustrating afternoon for Joe Schmidt\u2019s Ireland as they limped past Italy, it was a solid outing for Kilcoyne, who joked afterwards that it has taken him almost a decade to become an \u2018overnight sensation\u2019.<\/p>\n
His form for Munster this term has merited inclusion as Cian Healy\u2019s deputy, coming off the bench against England and Scotland in the opening two rounds and then getting his big chance in the Eternal City on Sunday.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s such a privilege to get a start in the Six Nations, they don\u2019t come around that often,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of blood sweat and tears goes into that and a lot of work. I was really keen to put in a good performance.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are certain areas I was happy with. There\u2019s other areas I wasn\u2019t and need to be more accurate in. You want momentum, you want to be in a team that\u2019s gelling well together. That\u2019s always the player I\u2019ve been, you want to put the team performance first with Munster and Ireland. You want the team to perform and then you to perform within that system.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having made just two Six Nations appearances under Schmidt before this year, it would have been easy for Kilcoyne to accept his time at this level had passed him by \u2014 but the Limerick native was desperate to get back in the mix.<\/p>\n
Hard work behind the scenes, grafting through extra sessions both on and off the pitch, has yielded the desired return for Kilcoyne, while Sunday night preparation sessions have put him in the right frame of mind at the start of each week.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the maturity, I think I mentioned during the week I\u2019ve close on 200 professional games for Munster and Ireland,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf your process is strong, I feel I\u2019ve consistently been at a level for Munster, and you build confidence in that.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re playing a lot of the same opposition week on week, and when it comes to playing international rugby it\u2019s about trying to find those little one per centers where you think you can get better, whether it\u2019s in training, you\u2019re five to 10 minutes in prep before training.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s true confidence in your prep. It probably looked like I was relaxed out there, but it\u2019s because I have the prep down during the week, and that builds a bit of confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Kilcoyne on the touchline with Roux and Schmidt in Rome. Source: Dan Sheridan\/INPHO<\/p>\n
He explains: \u201cIt\u2019s all about being really consistent, and disciplined in your prep.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoing the same things day-in, day-out. It\u2019s like you\u2019re a 10-year overnight sensation, but you\u2019re not obviously. It\u2019s what you do in your pre-season, and even preparing for pre-season, and onwards from there.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery Sunday evening I sit down and write down exactly what I need to get through in the week, in terms of my weights sessions, in terms of my diet and what I need to do in the team sessions, things I need to improve, areas I need to keep working at.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd hopefully you do all that every single week and it builds performances.<\/p>\n
Kilcoyne will hope his performance was enough to retain his place in Schmidt\u2019s plans for the round four game against France at the Aviva Stadium on 10 March, but McGrath \u2014 who came off the bench on Sunday \u2014 will be pushing hard to get back in the frame alongside Healy.<\/p>\n
Schmidt\u2019s Ireland will look to get through a body of good work in the coming days away from the intensity and pressure of Test week, concluding with Friday\u2019s open training session at Queen\u2019s University RFC in Belfast.<\/p>\n