McGrath urged not to become distracted by Ireland hopes

REWIND to 2017 and there was no question who was Ireland’s first-choice No.1.

Jack McGrath was so established as a prop idol that Joe Schmidt felt it prudent to rest him from the spring trip to Italy.

A few months later, he toured New Zealand with the cream of British and Irish rugby.

That was then; two years on, McGrath (below) will more than likely miss out on another Italian job — except this time it will not be because he is being rested but because he is not required.

Clubmate Cian Healy has re-asserted his dominance in the prop charts and, with Dave Kilcoyne making a timely burst, McGrath is on the outside.

Depending on Joe Schmidt’s Roman ruinations, McGrath might hope for some salvation should the coach decide that Healy requires a breather.

It’s difficult to know if Saturday’s audition against Zebre advanced his uncertain claims; at times, the Leinster front five occasionally struggled.

At HQ, the reflections on the weekend are so sombre it is almost as if Leinster lost rather than romping to another five-pointer, scoring their 100th try en route to stretching their almost unassailable Guinness PRO14 conference lead.

Pressed as to whether McGrath might have earned himself a swift return to Italy this weekend, assistant John Fogarty said: “He needs not to be distracted by all of that. He needs to focus on himself, focus on developing and performing.”