The Ireland squad embarked on this North American tour without a scrum coach, with Greg Feek on some well earned down time having double-jobbed with Leinster these past two years, but that hasn't diminished competition to scale the frontrow pecking order.
Take the battle between David Kilcoyne and Tom Court.
Cian Healy may be on the cusp of becoming the game's most revered loosehead prop, but if Kilcoyne has his way the Lions Test match contender will have some ground to make up after the summer.
The Limerick native's rise through the Munster ranks was impressive this season, dislodging Marcus Horan and Springbok Wian du Preez, to nail down the number one jersey under new coach Rob Penney.
It means Kilcoyne can switch his sights to international honours.
“We’ve two big games against America and Canada so I want to put down a marker to get that number one jersey going forward,” he said before training at the Houston Dynamo’s facility this morning. “It is a huge test and chance for me so I am really relishing the opportunity.”
With Horan retiring and Du Preez moving on, the Munster jersey seems secure, although the province will surely sign a foreign loosehead in the coming weeks.
This week's priority is to fend off Court. Surprisingly, former Ireland coach Declan Kidney selected Court when Healy was suspended for the Scotland game at Murrayfield in February, despite Kilcoyne being Healy's understudy since November.
As a result, all six caps have come off the bench.
“Look, the more competition for places brings out the best in players. It shows the strength in depth of Irish rugby at the moment. You have to back yourself in these situations.
“I would have been disappointed if I didn’t make the Six Nations squad after (starting) the first couple of rounds of the Heineken Cup. I was lucky enough to get picked and get picked for the tour, so I am looking to keep pushing forward.”
Having formed a junior cup backrow with fellow tourist Mike Sherry at Ard Scoil Rís, Kilcoyne followed a family tradition into the frontrow at 16.
“Looking at Irish rugby going forward I saw that the country wasn’t blessed with props so I tried to make a go of it.”
It’s working well so far.
The humidity this Saturday evening, much like Hong Kong last weekend for the Lions, promises to wear down the big frontrow men but Kilcoyne is adamant he can go 80 minutes against a powerful American eight led by Todd Clever.
“I’d like to think I could keep hydrated and keep going.”
Of course he can, he’s 24.
“They’ve a big pack. Their tighthead, Eric Fry, has a good low hit and I saw how they gave Italy a good run for their money at scrum time.”
Gert Smal is overseeing Ireland’s scrum along with the lineout this week.
