Maybe I just didn't fit Joe's eye - Stuart McCloskey on Ireland form

The suggestion in many of the questions Stuart McCloskey was asked at Wednesday afternoon's press conference inferred that he would keep his place in the Ireland team when it is named for the match against France.

He did little to dispel the assumption. The common refrain of 'waiting to see what team the boss picks' was missing.

The 30-year-old is in line to win his tenth cap if named at midday on Thursday for Ireland's second Guinness Six Nations match of the year.

That would make it four starts in a row for the Ulster centre, who is hoping to hold off Bundee Aki, who himself made a fine cameo in Saturday’s 34-10 win over Wales.

McCloskey, after making a largely positive debut in a Six Nations loss to England in 2016, picked up just five more caps over the next five years as he struggled to work his way into Joe Schmidt’s plans.

But if handed the 12 shirt for the 2.15pm kick-off at the Aviva Stadium it will make it a tidy little run of starts for the powerhouse centre, who has taken advantage of Robbie Henshaw’s injury woes.

The forgotten man theme is a familiar one to the Co Down native but after consistently performing for Ulster under Dan McFarland, McCloskey is now firmly in the Irish mix.

Asked what coach Farrell sees that coach Schmidt didn’t, he reckons he has raised his own game.

"I don't know, maybe I'm a better player now than I was back then. I think my game has improved," he said.

"There's obviously been a lot of competition in there. Maybe I just didn't fit Joe's eye. But here, that's in the past, not something to worry about now.

"It will be nice to get another game in a row. There's lots of things to improve on but I'm just looking to put in a good performance this week and hopefully that will help lead to a win.

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