Andrew Conway is a rarity in Irish rugby.
Of the last 61 players to make their Test debut for Ireland, only he has done so against England.
He's not alone from this afternoon's Ireland line-up though; Josh van der Flier got his first cap at Twickenham along with Stuart McCloskey and Ultan Dillane in 2016, while only two others - Jordi Murphy and Bob Casey - have have been given Test debuts against the neighbours since the turn of the centrury.
Certain games have generally been the testing ground for Ireland internationals. Since 2016, more than half (37) of the new caps handed out by Joe Schmidt and Andy Farrell have come against either Italy (14), USA (14) or Canada (8).
But Conway was trusted with the occasion when he was finally given his first Ireland shirt in the final game of the 2017 campaign, replacing his Munster teammate Keith Earls for the second half of the 13-9 win against England, which denied Eddie Jones' side a Grand Slam.
"That was probably the best day of my career I suppose, making your debut for your country, especially in such a big match," the 30-year-old said this week, ahead of his 30th cap this weekend.
"They were going for the Grand Slam, we obviously didn't want them to get the Grand Slam in Dublin of all places, so it was a big week to start off my international career.
"But I was delighted it came in such a big week to be honest. It was probably a blessing in disguise to be honest that I'd picked up a couple of niggles in a few of the weeks gone by and I actually got to get my first cap in a massive game in Dublin and very fond memories."
He had to be patient for his international breakthrough.
Having found himself in the long queue for game time at Leinster, he swapped blue for red when he moved to Munster in 2013.
It was his second season in Limerick where he really established himself, playing 18 times, while a lengthy run at full-back the following year saw him prove his versatility.
By the time he was called up for the 2017 Six Nations squad he was 25-years-old, and one of the big-game players in a Munster squad that was beginning to sing under Rassie Erasmus.
"You’re always a bit impatient, you always want to be as far down the track as you can be, but I kind of had a good understanding, I knew it was coming, that I was doing the work," he said.
"I was doing the right prep and I was performing well in Munster games and when I was in camp I felt like I belonged there.
"Of course there are doubts at times but I did have that faith that it would come and obviously it did."
The back three positions with Ireland have notoriously competitive in recent years, and he spent the next couple of seasons swapping around with Earls, Jordan Larmour and Jacob Stockdale for starting wing spots.
Since Andy Farrell took over in 2020 Conway has established himself in the first XV, starting every game of the Six Nations that year, before returning in the summer of 2021, having been unavailable for last year's championship.
In recent months, he occupied the backfield along with James Lowe and Hugo Keenen, with rookie Mack Hansen being the next cab off the rank.
"Do you know what, the competition is always fierce and then it seems to get more fierce. It's one of those things," the Dublin native added
"You’re not exactly sure what way the coaches will go with selection and when you get the nod being grateful for the opportunities is the thing that stands out.
"It certainly took me a while to get my foot in the door and I understand that I won’t be here forever so it’s something that has probably stood to me in the past, having that gratitude, that feeling every time I put on the jersey.
"It doesn’t guarantee anything but it does make feel like I want to make it count every time. It’s a special thing to be selected for your country and I don’t take it for granted."
Conway starts this afternoon's Guinness Six Nations meeting with England at Twickenham (live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player) where he will pick up his 30th cap, and third at the home of English rugby.
His two previous meetings with England both ended in defeat; starting the 24-12 defeat two years ago, while he also played in the humbling 57-15 defeat prior to the 2019 World Cup.
"It's tough," he replied when asked about what it's like to face England at Twickenham.
"They've made a great cauldron and they make it hard for you. They're one of the top sides in the world and have been over the last number of years. They're a tough team to play against.
"Each game is very different I suppose, I certainly don’t want to be going back to 2017 to look at that and see why we beat them. I suppose it’s just matching and trying to out-energise them, bringing a variety to our game, that we’re not predictable in what our attack is to them, we’re predictable to what we want to do for us, aggressive defence, owning the air.
"There’s a multitude of things. You don’t have to win them all but you want to be getting the upper hand in as many of those key areas as you can and then obviously big players on big days win big matches.
"It’s tough to go over to Twickenham, it’s tough to go away to any side in the Six Nations and get a win, the stats would prove that. So it’s going to be a tough day, there’s no doubt about it, but we’re all really looking forward to it."
While Ireland's game plan has evolved dramatically in the last 12 months, the right wing position is one that can still see very little foot traffic during a game.
On the left wing, Lowe and Hansen have consistently been brought infield as playmakers, while on the right Ireland will often aim to bring Conway into the game by playing to his strengths; giving him an aerial contest.
It can mean Conway, or Robert Baloucone at times last season, have to endure quiet periods in games, while constantly staying alert.
He said: "It's something that mentally you have to deal with. I suppose it’s trying to look at the game in a really detailed aspect of, from a winger's perspective, what communication are you giving?
"Defensively particularly, because we're going to be leading the defensive systems. What energy are you giving? What's your body language like?
"How much are you making the guys either side of you feel good? What are you doing away from the ball that actually makes a difference to positioning of other people and allows them to get off the line?
"There's a multitude of things that when you look at the game in really forensic detail, if you're a specialist in a particular position, you can take away different things from a game.
"And don't get me wrong, that's the kind of stuff that's a foundation for being an international winger.
"They're the things that you guys or the crowd might not see, and there's no way you could see them because the only reason I know about them is because I'm lucky enough to be involved in high level meetings and communications with the best coaches and players in the world on a daily basis.
"When that stuff isn't happening, and it's not going to happen, it's not being too eager to go outside of a system, but also realising the full 80 minute focus and what I can give to those around me is really, really relevant and really important, and maybe even more heightened in those games where you're not seeing as much ball as you'd hope for."
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