Jeremy Loughman set for Ireland debut against Fiji after circuitous route to the top

It’s been something of a slow burn for Jeremy Loughman as he edges towards a coveted senior Ireland debut, a wish that will be granted when he takes to the pitch against Fiji at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

Twice during the summer he wore the green jersey in non-cap matches against the Maori All Blacks and last weekend played superbly for Ireland A in their defeat to an All Blacks Development XV. It’s been a circuitous route to this moment but in some respects it’s a phrasing that neatly encapsulates his journey.

Born in Reno, Nevada, he moved, aged four, to a town between Sevenoaks and Ashford in Kent and then at 12, the family, father, David, mother Katja, two brothers and a sister, relocated to Athy.

He spent the first four years of his secondary schooling at Árdscoil na Tríonóide, before moving to Blackrock College for fifth and sixth year, winning two Leinster Schools Senior Cup winners medals, one at loosehead (2013) and the second year (2014) at tighthead prop.

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The 27-year-old fleshed out a little of the backstory. “We lived in Reno, Nevada, moved to England and then my grandad got sick, so we moved back to Ireland. We built a house there [and he came to live with us].”

Moving to Athy – his dad is from the town – was a bit of a culture shock as he explained: “I went from a big enough town in England to a school where fifth and sixth class were in the same class.” His parents now live in California with one of his brothers having sold the family house in Athy, while he has another brother in Colorado and a sister in London.

That nomadic upbringing taught him to be independent, self-sufficient and the aptitude to be able to fit into new environments. Loughman said: “It is a skill that I developed early enough after a few tough moves. When you are young it is very hard, a big shock. You get used to somewhere and you make friends then you move again.

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“After a couple of those [moves] it was a skill I developed, where I could be myself, and get on with people. I think I am very open, easy to get on with, which helps. It is a case of just trying to get stuck in the middle of it straight away. That’s something that I have done well in all those environments.”

He played alongside Joey Carbery, at school and in the local Athy rugby club, before a summer spent at Nigel Osborne’s French and Rugby camp – Nick Timoney was also there that year – expanded his sporting horizon. It whetted his appetite, and he spent his final two years in school at Blackrock.

He made the Leinster academy, played for the Ireland Under-20s but then injuries stunted his progress. Munster came calling; he needed the change of scenery to reinvigorate a rugby career that stalled.

“Getting myself into the team there took a little bit longer than I thought. I had two years where I played pretty much every game there and I felt I was really in the mix, then [I was hit by] injury again. I have got a good run of it now and have been working on a few things on and off the pitch that have really helped me.”

One aspect is the mental preparation required for playing rugby, something he would have neglected until first Caroline Currid in Munster and laterally Gary Keegan with Ireland changed his perspective completely.

“I really believe in what they do, and it makes sense to me. I have seen the dividends of doing that work, which obviously reinforces doing it. That has brought my game to another level. Consistency would have been my weakest point before.” Less volatility in performance levels persuaded Ireland coach Andy Farrell to give him a chance during the summer.

A renewed sense of belief saw him politely turn down a couple of inquiries from the USA national side. He wanted to play for Ireland and on Saturday that ambition will be fulfilled. “I don’t want it to be one cap, I want it to be a steppingstone and to keep pushing on;” a first step on Loughman’s latest journey.