Quiet flanker who's always looking forward

First time round was kind of a false start. That was during the world cup, with Ireland preparing to play Romania at Lansdowne Road. It became apparent David Corkery wasn't going to make it back from injury, and there were concerns about Eric Miller also.

Alan Quinlan took a phone call requesting him to travel to Dublin. David Wallace received a similar call. They drove up together, giddy with happy anxiety but reluctant to talk about what might lie ahead. Superstition or whatever.

"We were both really excited but didn't talk too much. I just remember the drive up."

As it happened, Quinlan was selected for his first cap and Ireland muddled through. Then the Munster man found himself travelling to Lens and watching the Argentina debacle as a reserve. Got to witness the day Irish rugby wised up.

And that was it. International action just sort of meandered out of reach again. Injuries healed, established players hit form again, and over last season's Six Nations Ireland put light years between themselves and the muddy implosion in Lens. All the time, Quinlan watched on, biding his time.

"Obviously I didn't enjoy it, but it comes with part of being a professional sportsman and you have to accept things. Declan Kidney instilled that from the beginning: there must be a balance."

So that was his philosophy when he sat on the bench for Munster at the European Cup final last year, and it remains his abiding principle this week as he contemplates his first Six Nations cap just hours after accepting the man of the match accolade for the provincial side's astonishing steam-rolling of Biarritz in Thomond Park. The rest of the country may marvel. Quinlan is hedging his bets.

"Obviously this is a big stage and I'm a bit tense about it," he said on Monday before the squad left for Rome. "I have had my bad times as well. The Munster game went well for me, but the most important thing was the team won. "You constantly have to strike a balance. I've had disappointments and I'm not going to get carried away by this. I'll just take each week as it comes, you know, take nothing for granted and try and enjoy this weekend."

In quiet moments, he has sought a bit of counsel from the seasoned internationals, and the feedback is that he should have little problem adjusting to the international pace. "The lads are telling me that it is quite close to the European pace, so I'm hopeful that I can make the step up."

That is the common perception.

"I was very surprised when Alan lost his place with Munster last season because he was playing very well then," says Keith Wood. "And by all accounts his level of play is even more dynamic and effective this season, so it's no surprise to see him here."

The trip up to the capital for his second international was so much different. The Munster boys took the bus up and played cards when it was discovered that the video wouldn't work. It was like so many of the previous journeys he had taken with the province. Same with training. Familiar faces everywhere. The adjustment, so far, has been painless.

But Quinlan was always good at striding forward. Growing up in Tipperary, he kept goal for St Michael's soccer club, hurled a little and played Gaelic before devoting himself to rugby.

Those who have followed Quinlan this season might find it hard to envisage him surpassing his current form, but such is the sense of potency created by Munster's heady ascent anything seems possible. Quinlan just smiles at the speculation.

"We have built a good relationship with Munster and hopefully we will all do well the next day. But there is no use in getting carried away. A week is a long time in sport."