Do believe the hype: Larmour is the real deal insists Ireland captain Best

Captain Rory Best regards the hype around his new Ireland team-mate Jordan Larmour as fully justified.

Since Larmour was picked in the Irish reserves for the Six Nations match against Italy today in Dublin, excitement has built about finally seeing the 20-year-old full-back/wing repeat his skills for Leinster in the Test arena.

Italy coach Conor O’shea compared Larmour to New Zealand great Christian Cullen, and Ireland prop Cian Healy showed the team a photo of him walking onto the pitch for a Leinster match in 2009 through a kids’ guard of honour featuring an 11-yearold Larmour.

“The most frightening part of that is that I got married in 2009,” Best said. As a Leinster Academy player, Larmour has been invited to Ireland camps for a few years as a training extra, and even in that role he has impressed Best.

“Even just the change of pace he has in a walkthrough – that sounds ridiculous – he’s just a very exciting talent. It’s a massive day for him. For him to get a debut in the manner he’ s played this season, he is massively de serving of being in the squad.

“He makes what I would find very difficult things look very easy.”