Ireland second-row Devin Toner has been described as ‘the most awkward man in the world to be on a team with’ by former Leinster teammate Jamie Heaslip.
Toner was fantastic in Ireland’s 26-21 win over Australia last weekend in Melbourne and he’s poised to start again in the third Test decider in Sydney this Saturday.
Heaslip spent 13 seasons playing alongside Toner at Leinster and he praised the Meath native for his presence at the line-out and from the restarts in last weekend’s win over the Wallabies.
“He’s probably one of the most laidback men I know as well, which makes him so loveable,” Heaslip told the Fox Rugby Podcast.
“He’s a big gentle giant. The funny thing you always used to say is that Dev never gets injured, but he’s the one person that injures everybody.
“I’ve lost so many bloody toenails, so many stitches around my feet from bloody lifting him or elbows when I’m coming back down from lineouts.
“He’s the most awkward man in the world to be on a team with — he injures all his own players at training.
“But he’s a great lad, you saw his presence in terms of commanding the lineout and the restarts, he bossed that.”
“Ryan's rise this season has been nothing short of remarkable, and he should be a player that will have a very long career in green, but the question is who do you put next to him in the long term? Henderson, Beirne or Toner?” https://t.co/hBfhKBzU9F
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 19, 2018
Former Leinster captain and Ireland international Kevin McLaughlin feels that Ireland have to keep the Leinster pair of Ryan and Toner together in the second-row for the third Test decider with McLaughlin citing their effectiveness together as reason to keep them alongside one another.
“I think you keep James Ryan and Dev in the second-row,” said McLaughlin on the latest episode of The Hard Yards.
“I think they work so well together. Dev was absolutely monstrous [against Australia]. It’s as well as I’ve seen him play. The poor guy was cramping up for the last five minutes, they had to take him off with cramp he worked so hard.
“James Ryan is quickly becoming one of the best second-rows in the world. It’s not early. The way he delivers every single week, it’s not early. He’s one of those players where you’re like ‘Jesus, who is that?’ And it’s James Ryan again.
“He’s making tackles, he’s making turnovers and his ability to, and it’s something that’s actually really hard to do, is he accelerates onto the ball.
“He seems to be able to do it on every single carry and his body position as well [is great]. He’s 6 ft 8 and it’s very hard for someone who is 6 ft 8 to get the right body position in the contact but he dominates the contact. It’s ridiculous.”
