The speediness of Jordan Larmour’s ascension to the Ireland senior squad is illustrated by the fact that when you go looking for the 20-year-old on the official Leinster website, you won’t find him in their senior squad section.
Larmour, who has mainly played at full back for his province but can also play on the wing, is still filed under ‘Academy’.
He has made eight starts for the Blues as well as five appearances off the bench while also bagging six tries in a sensational breakthrough season.
Sensational enough to be included in a 36-man Ireland squad for the opening two rounds of the 2018 Six Nations Championship by head coach Joe Schmidt.
“Yeah, definitely,” said Leinster team-mate Robbie Henshaw, without hesitation, when asked if he believes Jordan Larmour’s ready to make the step-up to an Irish Six Nations squad. “I think, from his performances, he's been tested against high quality opposition now and I think he’s come through unbelievably well. I know the feeling coming through as a young player, making that step up from the academy structure, it’s not easy. I think the way he’s conducted himself and the way he’s performed has been exceptional.”
Are the Leinster lads having to work hard to keep the Dubliner grounded?
“Well he’s a really well grounded guy,” Henshaw chuckled. “His work ethic is incredible. He’s incredibly diligent and he works really hard in the gym on his skills and doing his extras so there’s no surprise why he’s playing the way he is because he works so hard.”
Inclusion in the squad is one thing but making the matchday 23 for the opening game against France in Paris on February 3 is another when you look at some of the back-line talent at Schmidt’s disposal.
The experience of Rob Kearney, Keith Earls and Fergus McFadden can still be called upon while supporters will be excited to see what in-form wingers Jacob Stockdale and Andrew Conway might offer this Spring.
Ireland Squad (Nat West 6 Nations Championship 2018, Round 1 and 2)
FORWARDS (20)
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) c 106 caps
Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 5 caps
Sean Cronin (St Mary's College/Leinster) 56 caps
Ultan Dillane (Corinthians/Connacht) 11 caps
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 19 caps
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 73 caps
Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 34 caps
Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 3 cap
Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster) 22 caps
Dan Leavy (UCD/Leinster) 4 caps
Jack McGrath (St Mary's College/Leinster) 42 caps
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster) 18 caps
Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 42 caps
Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) 3 caps
Quinn Roux (Galwegians/Connacht) 3 caps
James Ryan (UCD/Leinster) 4 caps
John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster) 11 caps
CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster) 18 caps
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 53 caps
Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster) 9 caps
BACKS (16)
Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht) 2 caps
Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Leinster) 6 caps
Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster) 6 caps
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 62 caps
Chris Farrell (Young Munster/Munster) 2 caps
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 31 caps
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 78 caps
Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster) 7 caps
Jordan Larmour (St Mary's College/Leinster)*
Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) 18 caps
Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 32 caps
Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) 6 caps
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 59 caps
Johnny Sexton (St Mary's College/Leinster) 68 caps
Rory Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) 3 caps
Jacob Stockdale (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 4 caps
*Denotes Uncapped Player
