Toner got 'too comfortable' before World Cup snub

At 6ft 10in tall, Devin Toner is used to comments about his height.

A domineering presence at the line-out, Toner became a regular for Ireland after making his debut in 2010, earning 70 caps and winning three Six Nations titles.

But it was a question from head coach Joe Schmidt that led him to believe he was going to the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

That's what made a phone call from Schmidt, to tell him he was not going, all the more surprising.

"I thought I was going, but I got a phone call when I was watching TV," Toner told the Ireland Rugby Social podcast.

"We had a training camp in Portugal, a couple of weeks or months beforehand, and Joe comes up to me and goes, 'I just wanted to ask you, what exact height are you?'.

"He said it was because you the height of the bedrooms in Japan, so in my head I was like, 'OK, I'm going then'."

The issue of Toner's height in Japan had come up before on a tour in 2017, where his bed was extended so he could sleep comfortably.

"They were in awe as I was walking by, but they were so respectful about it," he said of his time in Japan.

But the World Cup omission was "probably up there with the lowest" point in his career.

Jean Kleyn was the man who benefited at the expense of Toner, after the South African-born second row qualified for Ireland through residency just weeks before the start of the World Cup.

"To my detriment, I was probably a little bit too comfortable," Toner admitted.

"I don't think I played very well in the warm-up games. I don't think I performed to my ability at all."

It was a selection call that few had seen coming, not least Toner himself, and both the residency rule and Kleyn came under fire when the 31-man squad was announced.

"There was big fall out after it, and I do feel for Jean," Toner added.

"He got a lot of stick for it, but he was just trying to do his job as a professional rugby player.

"From my point of view, he was one of the second rows who were picked. It wasn't a case of me or him."

Despite his World Cup selection, Kleyn found his minutes in green limited and, after three years without an Ireland cap, he switched back to his native South Africa for the 2023 World Cup.

He would be part of the squad which won the tournament, but Toner doesn't hold any grudges about his ill-fated stint in Irish green.

"He was trying to do the best he could for his career. He wasn't getting picked for Ireland and he wants to play international rugby," he said.

"It's nothing to do with him, it's the system."

Toner's last Ireland appearance came in 2020 and he retired two years later after 16 years of service with Leinster.

While he admits he "doesn't want a lot of rugby" since hanging up his boots, he still supports Ireland.

He believes Andy Farrell's side are in a good place but believes "someone needs to nail down the line-out call".

He says Tadhg Beirne is a "phenomenal player" but players being moved between the second row and the back row impacts a line-out specialist.

"Tadhg is a phenomenal player, but I don't know if I would have him up there as one of the best callers in the game," Toner said.

"But at the same time I don't think anyone has stepped forward.

"There's different roles and different positions. Because they are all interchangeable. It's the same with Ryan Baird, who can play six."

Toner added the talent coming through for Ireland in the second row is "huge".

"Edwin Edogbo is there and Tom Ahern, if he can get a run of games, I think he is a very good line-out caller and he's six foot nine.

"There's a good few lads coming through, and it's good to see Joe McCarthy coming back from injury because I think they missed him."