Special day as Tadhg
prone. Tadhg was the back-up support for Ross, so he was prepared to bide his time, while also gaining invaluable experience from the long-serving front row forward.
But when the opportunity presented itself he propelled himself into the front seat as the ideal young player to take over the demanding role at the front of the scrum.
After an incredibly impressive season with Leinster last year, the Campile native overcame all the hurdles, gaining inclusion in Joe Schmidt’s Irish squad for the World Cup, after which he propelled himself into the tight head position for the autumn internationals, showing hugely impressive form in the victories over both New Zealand and Australia.
If Furlong was happy, the New Ross club was ecstatic is having their first-ever Irish international, while he also became the pride of his home parish.
He continued to up the ante in an already intense arena of international fare with powerful displays in the Six Nations championship, having become a regular in Joe Schmidt’s starting 15.
Scrummaging is his forte, but Declan O’Brien, the regional development officer who first brought Furlong into the southeast squad, and then the full Leinster Youths set-up, quickly detected that the player has very good feet for a big man.
With a height of 6 ft. 1 and a frame of 18 st. 10 lbs., Furlong, who was educated at St. Augustine’s and Good Counsel College (New Ross), has now emerged as a world class tight head front row forward, a fact that New Ross Rugby club can be hugely proud of.
From farming stock down in Campile, with his dad having about 50 cows sitting on more than 50 acres, Furlong maintains that his innate stren from his genes. His fa as a prop with New Ro Margaret, worked as lane National Schoo
Furlong has grea never venturing tow over-confidence. He sional, but a realist it comes.
And he still kept h the ground amidst all the past months as t Lions recognition, go for Ireland and Lein his claim with top-cla what the opposition.
It was in the fina with England in the Furlong had his nam in the Lions squad w