When Ryan Baird retires, he'll certainly look back with fondness on meetings with Italy.His first cap came in this fixture two years ago, making a Test debut alongside Craig Casey in front of an empty Stadio Olimpico.Twelve months later when Italy came to Dublin he made his first Six Nations start, and scored his first Irish try in the 57-6 win.
That was his eighth Irish cap, but he's had to wait a full year to get his ninth, which he'll earn tomorrow off the bench in Rome.He's been around Irish camps in the time since, playing for the non-cap Irish selection in their tour games against the Maori All Blacks last summer, but was pipped to Test selection by Kieran Treadwell.When the Autumn Nations Series rolled around he was dealing with the return to play protocols for concussion after a serious fall suffered in Leinster's win against the Sharks in October.And for the opening rounds of the Six Nations he's had to deal with the logjam in the second and back row; part of the extended squad, but missing the cut for matchdays."Definitely frustrated, yeah.
Who wouldn't want to come into camp and play?," he says of his wait to get back into a matchday squad.He's had to be patient, but that patience is paying dividends this week.
As often happens, his gain is someone else's misfortune, where Tadhg Beirne's ankle injury sees Iain Henderson promoted to the starting team and Baird bumped up to the bench.While the wait was frustrating.