Taste of Irish involvement has Boyle hungry for more
At During Sam Leinster Pic: Boyle Rugby In Dublin Barnes/sportsfile Jack A Ucd Training Squad
It hasn’t been without its challenges, but Jack Boyle’s first season as a Leinster senior player is proving to be a productive one.
Following three years as a member of the eastern province’s academy – a period that saw him amassing 11 first-team appearances for the Blues – Boyle joined James Culhane and Paddy McCarthy in earning a spot in Leo Cullen’s senior set-up for the 2024/25 season.
He was originally named in the Emerging Ireland squad for their tour of South Africa in October, only for a foot injury to ultimately rule the loosehead prop out of contention.
Upon regaining full fitness, Boyle started in Leinster’s United Rugby Championship triumph over Connacht in Galway on October 19 and was subsequently selected as a training panellist in the Ireland camp for last month’s Autumn Nations Series.
He later returned to the Leinster team for another URC interprovincial victory at the expense of Ulster, before making his European Champions Cup debut as a starter against Bristol at Ashton Gate last Sunday week.
“I suppose a bit of a whirlwind start to the season. I thought I went pretty well in pre-season and picked up a bit of an injury for a few weeks. That set me back and then I actually ended up missing the Emerging Ireland tour, which was a real pity.
"It was something I was looking forward to,” Boyle acknowledged at a Leinster media briefing on Tuesday.
“I was delighted to get into the [Irish] environment. You hear lads speaking about it so much, always ranting and raving about it.
"How much they love the environment and it's the people in there, coaches, players, backroom staff, that make it special. I suppose getting a taster is something that makes me hungry to try to get back there.
“The ball's in my court. They had a look at me and it's up to me to push on and hopefully get back into camp. I suppose there's a path there, but it's up to me to keep playing well. To put one foot in front of the other game-by-game and see how I go.”