Yet having had a taste of the high life, Furlong wants more and is intent on making a big impact for Leinster to ensure he moves to the forefront of Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt's plans.
"That is my ultimate goal, to be in a place where I can go out and consistently play in big matches and scrummage well," Furlong told the Evening Herald.
"That is the golden egg for every prop, every tight-head especially. Hopefully, over the next few months to years, I can start to build towards that and try to attain it.
"I've probably come back as a player who understands the game more. I was fifth prop over there, so in the training teams I would often slot in as a second-row or a No8 or a flanker or a winger.
"I was slotting in and out on the defensive teams because I was an extra body so, from that end, I saw a lot more of the game and moves off set-pieces than I would have normally have if my head was still stuck in the scrum."
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