“It typifies what he is all about” – Andy Farrell allows Michael Lowry to bask in debut glow

“Great, lively and as brave as we knew he was going to be.”

Three moments – among a day full of them – really stood out about Michael Lowry and his Ireland debut.

The first arrived ahead of the Six Nations clash with Italy and was captured by the Virgin Media team as the checked in on the Ireland changing room.

While the veterans of 10, 40, 90 and 100+ caps went out their business, there was Michael Lowry – all five-foot-seven of him – buzzing and flitting about the place like a blue-bottle. Big grin on his face. In his element.

As bigger and bolder teammates strapped up and laced up, the 23-year-old had that Christmas morning face on him, and there was a stack of presents to unwrap. Bouncing on his studs, he could not wait to get out there.

https://twitter.com/stuart__mcavoy/status/1497948424544538624

Michael Lowry turns down hat-trick chance

The second Michael Lowry moment arrived with just under four minutes to play. The fullback had already run in two fine tries against a stretched Italian defence and he had a chance to scamper over for his third.

There is a strong chance he would have made the line if he went hard and low but, with a couple of Italian forwards straining to get over and cover, he went for the best team option. He timed his pass well and found James Lowe for a simple catch and dive try in the corner. Following the game, Andy Farrell commented:

“He could have got his third but it says a lot about him that he gave a pass out instead to James when he had the opportunity to score a hat-trick.

“I thought he was great, lively and as brave as we knew he was going to be. I think getting the two tries and then getting the space to score his third and passing it on to his mate James Lowe in the corner typifies what Mikey is all about.”

‘Made up for Mikey’

While there were great changing room pictures of Michael Lowry with his teammates and in his debut cap, after the game, the third stand-out moment was a quieter one.

Long after most of the Ireland and Italy fans had headed for the exit, and with stewards and staff already starting to wrap up for the day, the young fullback came back out to soak it all in.

Andrew Trimble fondly recalled the advice he once received from Tommy Bowe when he was making his debut at [the old] Lansdowne Road – ‘Remember to look up every now and then, and take it all in’.

Lowry, with a phone pinned to one ear as he no doubt re-lived some of the match highlights, had a huge grin splayed across his face. He had arrived.

 “Everybody involved in the squad, the management and the players are absolutely made up for Mikey, his mum, his sister and his girlfriend,” said Andy Farrell after Ireland’s 57-6 victory.

“It was a big day for them.”

England and Scotland are up next. Hugo Keenan will be favourite to take back his 15 jersey but Lowry was just looking for the chance to show what he can do. He has certainly done that.

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