“I definitely did. It was quite nice to take a wee while away from rugby, but it is all good now,” he laughed.

 

With only 17 minutes on the clock on Saturday Robert Baloucoune, better known to the Ireland players as ‘the cat’, proved the pundits right after they tipped him to be one of the most exciting rugby prospects on the island.

 

The crafty winger collected the ball on the halfway line, veered to the right hand side of the pitch and left three USA defenders in his wake as he went over the end line.

 

As the Enniskillen man touched down he had a beaming smile on his face as he made his mark on the international stage.

 

“It was something that I have been really working for, and especially in the last few weeks in camp. It was great to be back on the pitch, it was unbelievable.” 

 

And when he received the pass in the 17th minute there was only one thought in his mind “just run” he says. 

 

“The coaches were in the back of my mind, just saying to back myself and run whenever I get the ball. I listened to what they said and I saw the gap and put the foot down and tried to run as hard as I could up until the try line.