Less than a week after Ireland's grim Rugby World Cup exit at the hands of the All Blacks, and many of us are looking ahead to the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
Here at Balls.ie we were ahead of the curb, and even picked our predicted 2027 side before the ongoing tournament had even begun.
While rash calls for big rebuilds are off the mark, and the fact that a lot of the current squad will be around in four years time, there will still be stark changes in some areas.
Speaking on the RTE Rugby podcast, esteemed pundit Bernard Jackman has backed loose head Andrew Porter to move back to the position he started out with for Ireland.
I think he's going back to tight head.
I think you can see some really good loose heads coming through. Just in Leinster: Jack Boyle, Paddy McCarthy's gone back across [to loose head].
So I think he'll end up back at tight head to be fair.
Bernard Jackman Makes Big Andrew Porter Call For 2027 Rugby World Cup
Will Andrew Porter be playing loosehead or tighthead for Ireland at the next World Cup? 🏉@bernardjackman believes the foundations are there for Ireland to come back stronger. ☘️
🎧 Full podcast: https://t.co/UgDmemFRLV pic.twitter.com/AnswGNMPUb
— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) October 19, 2023
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As mentioned by Jackman, Ireland's best young prop talent is currently coming through at Leinster, with the likes of Michael Milne, Jack Boyle, and Paddy McCarthy. All three are loose heads, although McCarthy played at 3 during the U20s Grand Slam winning campaign.
Milne is already well established at Leinster and has played for Emerging Ireland, but it could be Jack Boyle who makes the most significant leaps this season.
He has been highly talked up since his school days, and with Healy, Milne, and Ed Byrne injured, and Andrew Porter to be rested after the World Cup, Boyle will likely be starting in Leinster's opening URC game of the season on Sunday, and in a great position to get a head start on his rivals.
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