Killer Instinct As Dave Scores First Ireland Try

Dave Kilcoyne was pleased with his part in Ireland’s 49-7 Guinness Series triumph over Georgia at the Aviva Stadium yesterday with the prop scoring his first international try as the Munster contingent impressed.

12-cap Kilcoyne was one of five Munster representatives in the starting XV with a further two coming off the bench as Ireland built on the win over South Africa the previous weekend.

It was a fruitful day for Ireland with the Munster representatives doing their bit as Dave Foley (below) won man-of-the-match on his debut. There was a first, and a second, Ireland try for Felix Jones with Simon Zebo also crossing the whitewash and Robin Copeland earning his first cap as a replacement.

Tommy O'Donnell played well on his second international start and Ian Keatley made his third Irish appearance.

"It was good to get a win, especially backing up the South African win," said Kilcoyne afterwards.

"After the high of last week, it is easy to get lost and not prepare as well as you should but everyone did and the collective played well tonight."

"We looked at Georgia and if you look at any of their games against tier 1 nations, they really stick in there for 50 to 60 minutes. It is only at the end that teams tend to break them. It was evident again tonight.

"They're a real physical side, especially their maul contest, scrum, they're quite physical and it was always going to take that. We knew we needed to back our fitness. That was the main thing."

It was Kilcoyne's third start for Ireland, and it's clear the Limerick man relishes playing for his country.

Having scored tries against Sale Sharks and Saracens in the European Champions Cup last month, the loosehead prop continued to carry a try-scoring threat against Georgia and deservedly picked up his first international try.

"Anytime you are representing your country, it's a big honour," he said.

"My whole family were there today. I know it's a big occasion for them and a huge occasion for me. It is a big honour.

"It (his try) happened pretty quick. Happy to get the end of it but Reddser (Eoin Reddan) took a great line, and again great lines by the forwards. If you are the end of a try, it is always good.

"You've just got to buy into the system and again, it's the collective. We have a saying here, 'you try and make everyone's job easier'. That is the goal. You work as hard as you can to make the fella's job beside you easier and that is what we all try and do."

Barely two minutes after the restart, Kilcoyne claimed the first of Ireland's six tries and the second soon followed as hooker Richardt Strauss made it over from a line-out maul in the right corner.

Felix Jones dives over to score his first try for Ireland CREDIT: Inpho

While Georgia responded with a converted effort from lock Giorgi Nemsadze, Ireland upped the ante once more as their fitness told during the final quarter.

"The first 50-60 minutes were incredibly difficult. They were a very physical side. It was going to take time to break them, but we did. We backed our fitness. We said what we were going to do. Thankfully that paid off.

"It was a hugely physical game. It did take us to the 50-minute mark to break them. That will stand to us going into next week. Australia pose a different threat, they have threats all over the park. We really have to knuckle down tomorrow, get our homework done," Kilcoyne added.