Ireland star: ‘Bigger Viking’ RG Snyman is ‘bringing something very special’ to Leinster

Colin Newboult
Split with Andrew Porter and RG Snyman.

Split with Andrew Porter and RG Snyman.

Ireland front-rower Andrew Porter believes that RG Snyman could provide a point of difference to Leinster after the lock played his first game for his new side.

The outstanding Springboks second-row made the controversial move from Munster in the off-season, making his debut against Benetton last Saturday.

In a fully-loaded Leinster team, Snyman played his part as Leo Cullen’s men hammered the Italians 36-5 in Treviso for their third successive United Rugby Championship victory in 2024/25.

There is a thought that the South African powerhouse, with his outstanding skill set, could be crucial as the province attempt to end their trophy drought.

Leinster have not lifted any silverware since 2021 but Snyman will no doubt improve their already star-studded squad as they seek to rectify the mistakes from recent years.

Him and Porter may have been in opposition for club and country over the years, but the top-class Test loosehead has liked what he has seen, both on and off the field, since the lock arrived.

‘More beef to the pack’

“Myself and RG have a lot more in common than I thought,” Porter told reporters. “Music tastes! He’s like the bigger Viking and I’m the smaller Viking. He is an incredible lad, a well-decorated rugby player with two World Cups.

“He has an incredible rugby IQ, he’s incredibly smart and a bright rugby player as well. He is bringing something very special to this team. You are bringing a different perspective and with his physical attributes that’s a good advantage to us.

“It adds more beef to the pack. He is a great bloke on and off the field and everyone knows how skilful he is. He’s not one of those players to shove the ball up the jersey, he can throw it around as well.”

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Porter and Snyman featured in the same pack at the weekend but went head-to-head when Ireland played the Springboks in a two-Test series.

The durable prop was involved in all the big games last season for Leinster and Ireland as he once again proved to be a vital cog in both machines.

“My finger was half hanging off from the first Test. Sure I got that operation done the night of the first Test, to try and put me back together again. That was really the only thing. Given the length of the season you are carrying knocks towards the end,” the 28-year-old said.

“They pile up after a while and you try to manage yourself and try to bring the best of yourself in those end-of-season games and on tour. Coaches know how to train smart at that stage, they know they don’t have to be flogging you.

“It’s a case of looking after you. You do look forward to your time off when the season is that long. I definitely enjoyed my time off on the beaches of Sardinia but ready to get back into it now and rearing to go.”

Gruesome injury

As for the finger injury, it was not for the faint-hearted as Porter revealed gruesome details of what he suffered.

“I had pictures of it. I dislocated it and it was hanging off, pointing sideways. I think I caught it on someone’s shorts and I knew it was dislocated before I even looked at it because I have dislocated the rest of my fingers, that is why they all look mangled,” he added.

“It was down there [at right angles] when I looked at it and then I could see the whole inside of my hand. Everyone back home thought I had broken my arm because I was looking down in shock. I had never seen the inside of my hand before.

“It was more the shock, it wasn’t that sore. I opened my hand and it snapped back up, back into position. I went off, got three stitches, they taped it up and came back on. I was in surgery that night to get it cleared up, stitched up again and then played the next week.”

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