For 24-year-old Leinster loose head prop Jack McGrath, 2014 has been quite an eventful year.

After appearing in every game during Ireland’s successful Six Nations odyssey, he added a Pro12 title to his list of honours back in May.

However, despite making a massive impression at provincial and international levels, the St Mary’s College man was largely restricted to a place amongst the replacements for the run-in to both successes.

Cian Healy’s long injury lay-off has presented McGrath will an ideal opportunity to establish credentials, though, and he knows that he has to take the bull by the horns.

“It’s massively disappointing for us, as a squad, for him [Healy] to be injured. To lose a world class player is never great,” McGrath explained. But I think as a squad it’s going to tighten us up and it is an opportunity for me to hopefully put a few good performances together and hopefully put my hand up for selection for the Irish team.”

When you consider the regard that he is held in, the possibility of replacing the experienced Healy on two fronts brings its own unique pressure. McGrath is certainly aware of the expectations from a Leinster point of view, but feels he will be one of a number of options for Ireland in the autumn internationals.

“I suppose it is a bit of pressure [for Ireland] but I hadn’t really thought about it like that because there are two guys in Munster, a guy in Connacht and a guy in Ulster ready to take your spot if you slip up or you’re not performing. And the thing about the Irish coaching staff is that you’re picked on performance and not reputation so just because one guy is gone it doesn’t really make a difference.

“But with Leinster, it’s going to be a [tough] couple of weekends for us and no better weekend to get back into the mix because these [Munster] are a tough team and as good as any European team we’re going to face.”

Following their second home defeat of the season to the Ospreys last weekend, Munster will require a big performance on Saturday against a Leinster outfit that are unbeaten at home in their last 12 competitive games

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Though their form has been erratic so far, McGrath agrees that this will make Munster very dangerous opponents in the Aviva.

“With any team, any Irish team, when your back is against the wall, that’s when you perform at your best. But in saying that, they have the exact same record as us — won two, lost two — so you can’t count them out.

“With any coaching staff, it was like us at the start of last season, you struggle a little bit to find your feet with the new stuff that you want to do, play-wise and defence-wise. So that could be a little bit as well but I wouldn’t look too far into it, it’s a long season and Munster are experienced enough,” McGrath added.