‘I’m desperate to be back’ – Ulster’s Billy Burns on his three years in the international wilderness

Ulster supporters swooned; less so their Leinster counterparts as their Byrne’s night ended as miserably as the weather, Harry’s errant swipes late on enabling the northerners to pinch a rare capital success.

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Anyone with a heart could not but be moved by the redemptive spirit demonstrated by Burns; anyone with a brain could only be bewildered by Leinster’s dizzy spells as they constantly rotate their tens.

They remain without Ross Byrne, of course. It seemed ironic and poignant to be alerted to the fact that Burns’ role in assisting three tries with his deft boot matched a feat last achieved in the league by none other than his former international rival.

Might they now joust once more in the vacuum bequeathed by Jonathan Sexton? Jack Crowley remains the first choice a month out from the Six Nations opener against France, with Ross Byrne his back-up, though the latter’s arm injury complicates matters.

Of those bubbling beneath, neither Ciaran Frawley nor Harry Byrne have been given consistent runs in the jersey. Jack Carty has been written off by Irish coaches, with Joey Carbery’s fall from favour as sharp as, well, that of Burns himself.

Burns, once of England’s system, won the last of his seven caps in 2021 against Japan but had once been established enough to start a Six Nations tie against France in Sexton’s absence.

Irregular rugby watchers might recall that one of Burns’ most notable contributions in a green shirt was a defining one: a fluffed late touchfinder in that 2021 championship against Wales.

It effectively marked the end of his stint in green; the distasteful social media criticism might have prompted him to wonder why he should bother reigniting the ambition.

But he has done so, with as much prompting from his own family as the coaching fraternity within Ulster, who have stood by him throughout.

Before his hat-trick assist, his renowned kick-passing abilities hadn’t been as pronounced as they had been during his international pomp. Not that everyone noticed.

“I knew it had been a while,” he smiled. “Before most games my mum calls me and says, ‘Make sure you try a chip over! My mum doesn’t have a clue about rugby, by the way, bless her! She was right, but she says it every week, so she was bound to be right at some point!”

Whether Andy Farrell and new attack coach Andrew Goodman, keen observers on the first day of 2024, will pay renewed attention remains to be seen.

Burns mirrors his sporting pragmatism with a realistic assessment of his prospects after almost three years in the international wilderness.

“Is that right?” he marvelled. “It does feel like a long time. I’m desperate to be back. I loved watching the World Cup. I haven’t had any contact from them and it’s my fault that I haven’t warranted a phone call, to be honest with you.

“I’m a realist. I haven’t been playing well enough the last couple of years, not from lack of trying. But I do feel like I’m starting to get back to the level where I was and I feel the style of rugby that we’re playing now will really suit me.

“Everyone wants to play at the top level and I feel I’m a much different player to what I was when I was in the last time. I’ve learned a lot. I went in there and I probably didn’t express myself. I feel like I can handle the pressure a lot better than I did the last time.

“And that’s not necessarily the obvious mistakes, the mishit into touch against Wales. Just generally around the place. I’ve just got to keep playing well and see what happens. It’s tough enough keeping my No 10 jersey; Jake Flannery is playing unbelievably well, Nathan Doak can step in there and play.

“I don’t want it to be a fluke. I want to keep building because the attacking kicking a couple of years ago was probably my point of difference and I went away from it, whether it be through confidence, lack of form or whatever.”

As for Leinster, their Byrne identity remains a conundrum. Many feel Frawley should be offered a persistent run to prove himself. Sam Prendergast’s enigmatic presence enlivens the debate but may also add another layer of confusion.

“Not necessarily,” countered Leo Cullen. “I think it’s worked out OK. You have a 20-year-old getting time there, and between Harry and Frawls, it has been great for them as well. Ciaran had his opportunity against Munster and played in the URC and Europe. Sam has come off the bench in Europe and played here. Harry has started a game in the Champions Cup, so it has been amazing, from that point of view, to have the three lads.

“We don’t execute at the end and that’s another experience for Harry after he comes off the bench, trying to manage those moments. But it is positive that it is time in the saddle for all three of those players.”