Devin Toner was the man Joe Schmidt left behind from the World Cup four years ago when Jean Kleyn was a surprise inclusion in his place in the Ireland squad.
This time it is Kleyn, among several others, who is feeling the pang of exclusion as Andy Farrell has gone with a tried and trusted 42-strong training panel that will eventually be reduced to 33 ahead of the finals in France.
The Munster second row is among a number of players who didn't make the cut - and in the case of Kleyn, John Hodnett and Shane Daley in particular, despite such strong finishes to a URC title winning campaign.
