Andrew Porter's switch across the scrum has had a ripple effect on Irish tighthead props.
With Porter no longer occupying the number 18 jersey with Ireland, Connacht's Finlay Bealham laid his claim to it in November, and would be the consensus pick to hold on to it through 2022.
The more minutes that Bealham logs in an Irish jersey, the more Andy Friend will have to manage his game time for Connacht.
The beneficiary of that would likely be Jack Aungier.
Ironically, it was likely Porter's presence at tighthead which contributed to Aungier's move from Leinster to Connacht in 2020.
The then-22-year-old had played five times for Leinster across 2019 and 2020, but with Porter and Furlong heading up a pretty formidable tighthead depth chart, Aungier knew he'd have to look beyond his home province if he wanted to play regular first team rugby.
Having consulted with a couple of Connacht's former Leinster men, Tom Daly and Paul Boyle, he and his second row team-mate Oisin Dowling packed up and moved out west.
This week, the pair agreed two-year extensions which will keep them at Connacht until the summer of 2024.
While injury delayed Dowling's debut until early 2021, Aungier hit the ground running and has been a regular in the Connacht side since his arrival, playing 20 games since August 2020, and featuring in all but one URC game this season.
"It was obviously my goal when I came down here, to play a lot more than I did in previous years," said Aungier.
"You want to play at the highest level."
The 23-year-old Sutton native is likely to be named in the matchday 23 for this Sunday's Heineken Champions Cup opener with Stade Francais at the Sportsground.
It won't be his first taste of European rugby however, featuring in both of Connacht's pool stage defeats last term.
"Racing and Bristol last year were two of the top teams in Europe so it was great to get the opportunity. It was a great challenge; we came close against Racing and the Bristol one got away from us but it's definitely a different level to the URC or anything I've played before that.
"I think I've grown a lot.
"In my year before that I'd played five times for Leinster but only around 80 minutes in total.
"When you play 13 or 14 games it gives you confidence that the coaches believe in you and you start getting more confident on the pitch.
"My game is probably improved a lot since the move down here, just due to that game time. Different experiences as a young prop, coming up against some of the best looseheads around is definitely making you better instead of sitting in the stands if you're at Leinster," the former Ireland U20 prop added.
Sunday's opponents Stade Francais have blown hot and cold throughout this season's Top 14 campaign, with Bernard Jackman predicting a Connacht win to start the campaign.
The head coach made a point of referencing how important a home win would be to start when he spoke earlier this week, as his side look to be the first Connacht team to advance beyond the Champions Cup pool stages.
"They've kind of been a bit inconsistent," Aungier said of the challenge Stade Francais pose.
"They had a good win against La Rochelle, they were 20-6 down after half an hour and clawed it back to win 25-20 so they're well capable of winning but they've been a bit inconsistent.
"Europe, anything can happen so you can't look at their Top 14 form.
"'Friendly' talked about it this morning, to be the first Connacht team to get out of their pool. You have to win that first one to be able to do that because it's a very tough challenge with Leicester around the corner, they haven't lost this season. It's important to get off to a good start."
Listen to the RTÉ Rugby podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow Leinster v Bath (Saturday 3.15pm), Connacht v Stade Francais (Sunday 1pm) and Wasps v Munster (Sunday 3.15pm) via our live blogs on RTÉ.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app or listen to Leinster v Bath and Connacht v Stade Francais on RTÉ Radio 1 and RTÉ Radio 1 Extra.
