It was Paul O'Connell who delivered the message that Dave Kilcoyne had been waiting a long time to hear.
And, having feared he would not get the necessary power back in his hand after a bad neck injury in last year's Six Nations, Killer is focused on taking this second chance.
The Ireland squad were making their final preparations on Saturday morning when it was confirmed that Cian Healy's hamstring ruled him out.
"Paulie on the way out of the elevator just said: 'Are you ready, kid?', as he does," said Kilcoyne, who was promoted to the bench as loosehead cover and came on for the last seven minutes.
"I prepared all week as if I was being involved, so I was just ready to go."
It was Killer's first action in green for 11 months because he suffered a bad injury at the end of last year's Six Nations and had to get two discs shaved in his neck.
"I had massive belief in myself and that I would get back in if I could get back fit," said the 34-year-old Munster prop.
"It was the worst injury I’ve ever had. I lost power down my hand through getting those disks shaved and it was unnerving at times, wondering would the power ever come back.
"It was a couple of months with the great S&C and rehabs coaches down in Munster and it just wasn’t coming and wasn’t coming, then all of a sudden it came.
"Once I saw a bit of light, I went with it and built myself back up and worked away to try get back in. So I’m feeling very fortunate to be in here.
"The saying, you don’t know what you have until it’s gone, that really resonates with me now.
"You’re out of the environment through injury or selection or whatever, then when you get the second crack at it to get back in, you want to take it with both hands and make sure you’re in here as long as you can be."
The Limerick man must surely have felt a long way from here when he was named by Andy Farrell in the Ireland 'A' squad in November. Nevertheless, his patience has paid off.
"You're out for a considerable time, you're looking on and seeing what the team is building, what Faz had built," he said.
"Everyone talks about how good an environment it is here, and it's not rubbish.
"It actually is a really enjoyable place to be, but that comes from the top down.
"It's such a good place to come in and get better every day. I wasn't involved, you're watching on and desperate to get back in.
"Fortunately, I just put my head down, worked away and got myself back in.
"It's where you want to be, it's an incredible environment, and a tough task this weekend against France and that French scrum, but a great place to be."
READ NEXT:
Honeysuckle Cheltenham Festival call made following Irish Champion Hurdle second
Christian Atsu found alive after being 'trapped' in rubble after earthquake
Rory McIlroy mocks LIV rebels Patrick Reed and Phil Mickelson in Netflix series
James McClean plays for Wigan hours after birth of baby daughter as wife Erin hilariously reacts
Manchester City charged with numerous breaches of financial rules by Premier League
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
