Nov 19,2024
Thomas Clarkson says making his Ireland debut against Argentina was "crazy" and "surreal".
The Leinster tighthead prop was originally including as a 'training panellist' for the pre-Autumn Nations Series camp in Portugal, one of five players outside the official 35-man squad.
But opportunity arose for the 24-year-old when Tadhg Furlong was ruled out of contention with a hamstring injury and Tom O’Toole suffered a head injury against New Zealand.
That led to Clarkson being named on the bench but he was sprung into action sooner than expected when Finlay Bealham was yellow-carded in the 17th minute.
A few minutes later, the referee awarded a scrum to Ireland with flanker Josh van der Flier having to make way for the front row (below).
When Bealham’s sin-bin period was up, Clarkson made way but returned again to see out the final 27 minutes of the 22-19 win.
He said: "It was a bit surreal, like coming out for the anthem, it hadn't been that full for the warm-up and then coming out and the fact it was dark as well so that added an extra bit..it was cool.
"I had a big family here for the day. I think it was 10, so it was class.
"I wasn't supposed to be kept on after Portugal so to be kept on and end up playing it was a bit crazy."
While Clarkson was getting his first taste of senior international rugby, fellow Leinster prop Cian Healy came on to equal Brian O’Driscoll’s Irish caps record of 133.
"Tom O'Toole had that head knock towards the end of last week so even before the team was announced I kind of had a rough idea I might be playing and straight away [Cian] came up to me and said if I had any doubts about anything during the week to come up to him," said Clarkson of the 37-year-old, also known as ‘Church’, who will likely claim the record outright against Fiji on Saturday (3.10pm).
"It is typical Church, like, I am with him at Leinster the whole time, he is that kind of comforting figure that you have, obviously he has so much experience.
"Even [Friday] there, at the last minute I was looking at my notepad and he came over and said 'don't worry about it, you know you can do it, just get out and do it'. Typical Church."
Out-half Sam Prendergast also won his first Ireland cap against the Pumas, coming on for Jack Crowley with 18 minutes left as the visitors threatened a late comeback.
Leinster back Prendergast has previously been compared to former Ireland captain Johnny Sexton and Clarkson spots the similarities in the two men’s personalities.
"I'm good mates with Prendo anyway so we were chatting away," he said.
"As a number 10 if you are not scoring any points, he probably had a bit of frustration but, sure, if you are not happy getting your first cap there is something wrong with you.
"Typical Prendo, he wants everything to be 100% perfect and when it is not, he has got a big stroppy head on him. Similar to Sexto, I would have said."
Meanwhile, Andrew Porter, who won his 68th cap last Friday, said he noticed that the Aviva Stadium crowd, after receiving criticism after the defeat the All Blacks, got more involved this time.
"Definitely felt like it was a bit noisier than last week," said the 28-year-old Leinster loosehead prop.
"I’m not sure why. I think it was just the crowd got a bit more into the game.
"I’m not sure if the game was a bit more flowing compared to last week. I know last week there was a lot of scrums and there was a lot of stoppages in play which kinda play a lot into how the crowd can interact with a game.
"But yeah, I definitely felt the crowd."
On the victory over Argentina, in which Ireland claimed three tries in the opening 32 minutes before failing to score again, Porter (above) said: "I’m not sure if we just got into our flow a little bit more. Obviously, it was a different team, different defence.
"We took our chances in the first half and it paid off. So, maybe that’s why the crowd got into it a bit more and how the crowd a bit more and how we played into it a bit more last week.
"We got the two block-downs early in the first half as well which kind of got us in a good position in their 22 and got us playing good rugby in the first half.
"Kind of left the foot off the throat in the second half at times. But yeah, it’s definitely an improvement on last week."
