Weaned on a diet of underage success, Robert Casey embraces Saturday's Six Nations Championship match against England at Twickenham unencumbered by historical shortcomings.

The 21 year old, winning his third cap, but making his first start in a senior jersey and Six Nations debut, has not previously bowed to the English rose.

Whether Ireland schools or under-21s, the young Blackrock College second row has never finished on a losing side against England and doesn't intend to start on Saturday. Not that he is making idle boasts, or indulging in rhetoric long on bravado but short on substance, as had been the case occasionally with Ireland teams in the 1990s.

Casey has enjoyed success from the time he first entered the gates of Blackrock College as a 14 year old. He doesn't need a good memory to recall his last success over England: March 5th, 1999, when Ireland triumphed 23-5 at Templeville Road in an under-21 international. Peter Stringer and Brian O'Driscoll were team-mates that day while England's new cap - Bath centre Mike Tindall - suffered at their hands.

That result will not matter one whit in practical terms but from a psychological standpoint, the more players unaccustomed to losing that Ireland have the better. As Munster demonstrated this season, winning is habit-forming. Casey concurs: "At school in Blackrock, playing with the Ireland schools and under-21s, we were used to winning. I have been with a successful bunch of guys who are used to winning in the green jersey.

"Winning becomes a habit, so much so that when you lose, it's the worst thing in the world. I hate it." Despite never having played at Twickenham, Casey is adamant that it won't affect him. "I never thought it would come this soon. Every player aspires to pulling on the green jersey. To win a first full cap in Twickenham at 21 is just a dream but I won't be overawed that's for sure."

The 6 ft 7 in, 19 stone Kildare-born player modestly conceded that he wasn't banking on selection despite a series of outstanding performances for Leinster in the European Cup. "I didn't think I was going to get in. Then Jeremy (Davidson) got injured which was tough luck for him. If he hadn't got injured it might have been different."

Casey described the moment yesterday when his dream was realised: "I found out this morning, about 10, before we got on the team bus. I didn't have a chance to ring all the family and stuff. We were brought into the team room and the side was announced. I was absolutely delighted. I never stopped smiling all the way to training."

Born into a Gaelic games background - parents Dan and Josephine are from Tipperary - Casey dabbled in hurling and football in his formative years, managing to play for Kildare hurlers at under-14 level. On swapping Salesian College, Celbridge, for Blackrock, following in elder brother Danny's footsteps, Bob embraced rugby, forsaking all other sports.

His representative career took him through Leinster schools, Ireland schools, Ireland under-21 and Leinster before making Ireland's summer tour to Australia last year. He made quite an impression on the senior players and further enhanced his reputation with a high-profile cameo role during the World Cup. He made his debut for the senior side when coming on as a temporary replacement for Malcolm O'Kelly against Australia and had the audacity to pickpocket John Eales with his first touch at an Australian line-out.

He was introduced as a replacement against Argentina in Lens, thereby winning a second cap. On returning home he quickly forced his way into the Leinster team, in the process forming an effective second-row partnership with O'Kelly. "It took a while for us to gel but things have come good now. We're egging each other on, complementing each other in terms of the way we play. Hopefully that will continue on Saturday."

Leinster coach Mike Ruddock used Casey as a very effective ball carrier but the player doesn't presume a similar responsibility on Saturday, claiming: "I will do what I am told to do by the management."

The commerce student awaits the biggest game of his career with genuine relish. Victories in Europe with Leinster coupled with previous representative success have generated a positive mindset, without recourse to arrogance or naivety. It will take something more substantial than a few bars of Swing Low Sweet Chariot to subdue the talented newcomer.

Fact File.

Age: 21.

Height: 6 ft 7 ins.

Weight: 19 st.

Club: Blackrock College.

Representative Career: Leinster schools, Ireland schools, Ireland under-21, Leinster, Ireland.

Caps: 2.

Debut: v Australia, 1999 World Cup.