Munster senior coach Mike Prendergast has tipped his loosehead forwards Jeremy Loughman and Michael Milne to deliver if they face the French in next week’s Six Nations opener in Paris.
The weekend injury to Jack Boyle has pushed the Munster duo into the frontline with Connacht’s uncapped 20-year-old Billy Bohan the only other loosehead in the squad.
Thirty-year-old Nevada native Loughman, who started against the Dragons on Friday night in Cork, won the first of his five Irish caps against Fiji in November 2022.
Milne, who will be 27 on the day of the French match next week, made his Irish debut in Georgia last summer and got a second cap a week later away to Portugal.
Birr native Milne joined Munster last summer on a two-year deal from Leinster, a pathway taken by Loughman from the academy there in December 2017 after making five appearances for Leo Cullen’s side.
Prendergast said he had no doubt both props will step up if required by Andy Farrell.
“I think they’re probably two different journeys. You look at Jeremy, he had been there with Ireland and he had to work himself back in there as well and that’s credit, that’s testament to his character as well.
“I suppose the depth in loosehead prop around Ireland is quite strong. Obviously a couple of injuries are after happening and the lads are after getting back in on form. So Jeremy was there, worked his way back in through hard work and has had a good season for us, I felt, this year.
“And then Mikey Milne, obviously coming down from Leinster last year, went on tour during the summer and you could see as he got capped that did him the world of good. In terms of how he’s fitted in, he’s fitted in very, very well,” he said.
Prendergast said that Loughman, who has made 127 appearances for Munster, and Milne, who has made 13, have had to battle for game-time with the province.
“There’s Josh Wycherley and Mark Donnelly, there’s high competition within that position here in Munster, which I think is probably getting the best out of the lads. And they’re the two lads that have come forward over the next few weeks with Ireland, which is great to see,” he added.
