Michael Milne hoping to earn Croke Park spot with big Cape Town performance

Rather than go with the experienced Cian Healy in the No 17 shirt, the head coach plumped for 25-year-old Birr native Michael Milne who has missed most of the season with injury.

Considering La Rochelle’s propensity to win tight games against Leinster through their pack, it was a major vote of confidence in a player who has long been rated as a real prospect.

Rather than sulk, Healy rowed in behind him.

“When the team was named he was the first one to come over and shake my hand,” Milne recalls.

“He was so supportive all week. ‘Church’ [Healy] has done everything in the game so all you can do is learn off him. Anything I needed, he was very helpful. Before the game he just told me to enjoy it. Don’t let the occasion get the better of you. I tried to do that. You learn so much from him.

“You’re just trying to deliver. You’re obviously grateful that the coaches trust you, but you’re like, ‘Right, I’ve got a job to do’. I’m not sure if I delivered as much as I wanted to but I was delighted to get the opportunity. It gives you confidence to kick on.

“That’s probably the big thing as well, isn’t it? You just keep putting performances together and hopefully you’ll get picked.”

Healy started in last Saturday’s defeat to the Lions and it’s likely Milne will be handed the No 1 shirt against the Stormers tomorrow before the squad depart South Africa and begin to think about Croke Park. Back at base, the first team have already been preparing for Northampton Saints and Milne knows that a strong performance in a pivotal URC game will help him earn that shirt again.

“It definitely is,” he says when asked if the semi-final is at the back of his mind.

“A sold-out Croke Park is something special, isn’t it?

“The last time I was in Croke Park was Offaly playing U-20 football against Roscommon [in the All-Ireland final in August 2021]. That day was special. A sold-out day with Leinster will be class, but the main focus is Stormers really.

“Whenever Offaly are there I am anyway. One of my good friends [Eoghan Cahill] hurls with Offaly. Whenever they’re there in the Joe McDonagh . . . but I haven’t been there for any big days yet!”

A full-forward, Milne hurled for Offaly up until U-17 level and there’s footage of him on YouTube scoring a close-range goal against South Kilkenny at Nowlan Park.

His frame was more suited to the rugby front-row than the full-forward line however, and he switched to Cistercian College Roscrea and went all-in on the oval-ball game.

Others from his age grade like Harry Byrne, Craig Casey and Ryan Baird have already won caps, but if he keeps going on this trajectory he’ll be joining them in green.

“It took me a few years to get up to the speed of things in professional rugby,” Milne says. “I probably came out of school a bit fat and lazy but got there eventually.

“You look at ‘Bairdo’ and lads like that, their form in internationals and for Leinster every week, and that gives you confidence to kick on.”