‘You get another opportunity, another swing at it’: Andrew Porter chases Springboks redemption

The Irish Times · Michael Scully · 2026-11-06 06:00 UTC

Leinster prop putting focus on scrum and lineout as Ireland prepare for Nations Championship Tests

It is just under a year since Andrew Porter last played for Ireland, and he admits he has dwelled on the unhappy memory of his most recent appearance.

Porter featured in Leinster’s Champions Cup final defeat last season, but calf problems ruled him out of the province’s URC final win and also two Test windows. He missed the Six Nations and summer tour, leaving him time to reflect on Ireland’s defeat by South Africa in the last of the autumn Tests last November.

The Springboks’ 24-13 victory was their first in Dublin for 13 years. In the aftermath, Porter’s former Leinster frontrow colleague James Tracy explained how Ireland’s scrum had been “obliterated”.

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