Andrew Porter: 'You don't know when your last game is going to be'

Some of Ireland's frontline internationals got to rest up over Christmas. Others played on St Stephen's Day, before being given the New Year's weekend to put their feet up.

Not Andrew Porter. On top of a full 80 minutes against Munster on 26 December, he found himself logging another half-hour on Sunday, called into the replacements at the last minute after an injury to Marcus Hanan who had originally been named on the bench.

For a centrally contracted player with the IRFU, Porter's played a significant amount of matches this season, featuring in 10 of 13 games for Leinster, as well as two of Ireland's Autumn Nations Series games.

As one of the most dynamic props in the game, he's also staying on the pitch longer than most in his position. While many teams change their front rows early in the third quarter, Porter will regularly play into the final 10 or 15 minutes in the bigger games.

And while some people might want to see him bubble-wrapped as we head into a World Cup year, Porter cites the recent retirement of his Leinster team-mate James Tracy at the age of 31 for why he will never get tired of playing.

"I was more than happy to be involved," he told the RTÉ Rugby podcast.

"Every game, I've such pride, and I'm so privileged to be part of such a group."

Tracy, who played 141 times for Leinster and 10 times for Ireland, was forced into retirement just before Christmas after battling a neck injury for the last eight months.

And Porter says it's made him realise he can't take his career for granted.

"I'm so lucky to be playing this game, and you don't know when your last game is going to be. It really put into perspective how grateful I am to be doing what I'm doing.

"You'd never know when you're going to step on the field for