PORTER KEEPS A CLEAR HEAD IN HECTIC SCHEDULE
ANDREW Porter faces a difficult balancing act over the coming weeks, a hectic endof-season schedule — as Leinster look to claim Champions Cup and Pro14 honours — interrupting his Economics studies as end of year exams loom. Luckily, over the course of this breakthrough season, the young prop has learned how to keep his cool in the middle of the madness. ‘I’d do a bit of meditation, breathing techniques here and there,’ he explained. ‘It’s good for clearing your mind, clearing out the stress, the negative thoughts, the negative vibes. I wouldn’t have any triggers, just take that deep breath if you make a mistake in a game and focus on what you can do next, get better and make amends for it. ‘It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. If I wasn’t in the gym trying to get physically better, I’d want to try and get mentally better. It’s good for building a bit of mental fortitude and mental strength. It makes you more conscious of decisions on the pitch.’ Whatever his methods, it is an approach that is clearly working. Tasked with negotiating the difficult assignment of switching from loosehead to tighthead prop last season — a switch he likened to writing with your weaker hand — Porter has rocketed through the ranks to become a Grand Slamwinning Ireland international. Regularly springing from the Leinster bench to replace Lions star Tadhg Furlong and help the province close out
games, the 22-yearold admitted he has been surprised with how comfortable he has found the transition. ‘The coaches at the beginning said “there’s going to be a bit of frustration on your part but stick with it”. I did but I obviously didn’t think it would happen this quickly,’ he continued. ‘One thing led to another. I think I played one game for Leinster last year against Ulster at tighthead and then got the call-up for the summer tour [with Ireland]. ‘Getting more game-time for Leinster this season and getting my first Champions Cup game against Exeter I think at home. It’s really kind of almost snowballed.’ Even at this early stage in his career, the former St Andrew’s man says he is beginning to feel comfortable on the big stage, and is hoping to turn that experience into consistency as Leinster chase down a first European Cup win in six years. ‘I’d only played a handful of games for Leinster at tighthead last season and it was just to get more consistent gametime in the blue jersey [this season]. ‘Now my main goal is just to be consistent each week, it doesn’t matter who you’re playing, you’ve got to put your best foot forward and give your best performance. ‘It’s just more interest in finer details, my technique in scrums or my tackle technique, my ball focus and my carries. It’s just finetuning now.’ And he is already beginning to come out of his shell on the pitch, memorably mowing over Ireland teammate Jacob Stockdale during the Christmas interprovincial derbies. ‘I think he [Stockdale] got enough accolades during the Six Nations so I think he forgot about it pretty quickly,’ he added. ‘I just love the physicality. I love carrying, almost trying to run through lads. It’s part of my game I try to work on, get my hands better, my feet better to not only try to go through people but go around them. I got a few tips off Jordan Larmour for that.’