Aussies identify Andrew Porter as Ireland’s World Cup ‘weakest link’

Patrick McCarry

‘A penalty magnet’

In a recent Tight Five Rugby run-down of best loosehead props heading to the World Cup, Andrew Porter was named No.1 in a Top 10 of the world’s finest.

Porter is expected to pack down in a formidable Ireland front row with Leinster teammates Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong when the big games come around. In a thread-pulling piece ahead of the tournament, though, an Australian outlet has identified him as Ireland’s biggest weakness.

Andrew Porter, the weak link?

Popular Aussie rugby outlet The Roar tasked writer Harry Jones with identifying the weak link(s) of each of the main World Cup contenders.

The piece is an interesting one, with some good and debatable points in there. The Springboks lineout and goal-kicking, if Handré Pollard is not fit, are identified as the weakest links of the reigning champs while the author says injury doubts over Cyril Baille, and a lack of solid back-up options, are the biggest concern for France.

Sticking on the loosehead theme, Jones highlights Andrew Porter as a player that opposition teams, and match officials, will be watching closely. He writes:

‘Flaws do not exist in their starting 15 except at scrum time: Andrew Porter is a penalty magnet, leading the Six Nations in that ignominy some years, and a focal point for refs. He is also not capable of running the pivot or dummying the loop to current Irish standards.’

The other ‘weak link’ for Ireland, the article notes, is a back-up game manager on the bench, at scrumhalf and outhalf. We would argue against that one, as Conor Murray is likely to be back-up 9 for the bigger World Cup games.

Andrew Porter of Ireland during a Six Nations clash against Wales. (Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile)

Warren Gatland on Andrew Porter

Andrew Porter is one of the more penalised Ireland players, at scrum-time and around the park, but he also does come up big with penalties and turnovers won for his side.

Earlier this year, the prop was in a spot of bother for a late shot on Wales star Liam Williams after he scored a try against Ireland in the Six Nations. Wales head coach Warren Gatland commented:

“I’m not sure Andrew Porter needed to do that because he was clearly scoring the try. With Porter, if I was his coach I would give him a kick up the backside, he had a great tackle on the line to hold up Jac Morgan. He probably needs a reminder that potentially that could have been a costly yellow card in a big game.”

Elsewhere in that Roar piece, the Wallabies weakest links are identified as relatively green [at Test level] out-halves Carter Gordon and Ben Donaldson. England’s biggest strength is ‘the draw’, which keeps them away from rugby’s top-five ranked sides until the semi-final stages… if they get that far.