Munster 2017 -2018

[dropkick]

Munster academy named. Sean French (center/fullback) and Tom Ahern (lock) are the ones to watch.


2018/19 Greencore Munster Rugby Academy

Year 3: Gavin Coombes (Backrow/Young Munster), Shane Daly (Centre/Cork Con), Sean O’Connor (Lock/Garryowen).

Year 2: Craig Casey (Scrumhalf/Shannon), Liam Coombes (Back three/Garryowen), Keynon Knox (Prop/UL Bohs), James McCarthy (Fullback/UL Bohs), Alex McHenry (Centre/Cork Con), Matt More (Centre/Garryowen), Jack O’Sullivan (Back Row/UCC), Jack Stafford (Scrumhalf/Shannon), Alan Tynan (Full-back/Young Munster).

Year 1: Thomas Ahern (Lock/Waterpark), Diarmuid Barron (Hooker/Garryowen), Jack Daly (Back-row/Garryowen), Ben Healy (Out-half/Glenstal), James French (Prop/UCC), Sean French (Centre/PBC), Eoghan Clarke (Hooker/Wanderers), Jonathan Wren (Back three/PBC)

[hugonaut]

Munster academy named. Sean French (center/fullback) and Tom Ahern (lock) are the ones to watch.


2018/19 Greencore Munster Rugby Academy

Year 3: Gavin Coombes (Backrow/Young Munster), Shane Daly (Centre/Cork Con), Sean O’Connor (Lock/Garryowen).

Year 2: Craig Casey (Scrumhalf/Shannon), Liam Coombes (Back three/Garryowen), Keynon Knox (Prop/UL Bohs), James McCarthy (Fullback/UL Bohs), Alex McHenry (Centre/Cork Con), Matt More (Centre/Garryowen), Jack O’Sullivan (Back Row/UCC), Jack Stafford (Scrumhalf/Shannon), Alan Tynan (Full-back/Young Munster).

Year 1: Thomas Ahern (Lock/Waterpark), Diarmuid Barron (Hooker/Garryowen), Jack Daly (Back-row/Garryowen), Ben Healy (Out-half/Glenstal), James French (Prop/UCC), Sean French (Centre/PBC), Eoghan Clarke (Hooker/Wanderers), Jonathan Wren (Back three/PBC)

I was impressed with Sean O'Connor in the B&I Cup game in Donnybrook. Did very, very well at lineout time and had good habits all over the pitch – hit rucks low, got off the ground quick, came through oppo lineouts and hassled the backline, made some good tackles, was able to handle the ball. He was playing in the second row on the day but I think they're looking at him as a blindside too.

Looks like it could be difficult to break into the back five of the Munster pack though this season – Arno Botha, Chris Cloete and Jean Kleyn all NIQ and thus theoretically available for every match, and Billy Holland is a warhorse ... also Tommy O'Donnell, Conor Oliver and Dave O'Callaghan there or thereabouts before you even get to the current internationals.

[ronk]

It’s a long season, there’s minutes even with those guys. But Fineen was promoted, so it’s harder.

[dropkick]

Long season ahead but the squad does look a bit bloated. I suspect there'll be a bit of a clearout at the end of next season.


Lots of big name signings but the likes of Wycherley, Nash and Liam O'Connor are 3 quality players to bring through from the academy. Thats what Munster have to bring through every year to get back to the top.

[offshorerules]

Paul O'Connell jumping ship, off to Stade apparently.

[deco]

Lots of big name signings but the likes of Wycherley, Nash and Liam O'Connor are 3 quality players to bring through from the academy. That's what Munster have to bring through every year to lose their parasites of Irish rugby tag.

[Dave Cahill]

Paul O'Connell jumping ship, off to Stade apparently.

A good move for him - a coach can't improve if he isn't exposed to different rugby cultures

[domhnallj]

Paul O'Connell jumping ship, off to Stade apparently.

A good move for him - a coach can't improve if he isn't exposed to different rugby cultures

Just listening to him being interviewed on Radio 1 at the moment. He’s a class act and hopefully he’ll come back into the Irish system.

[sunshiner1]

Really hope they replace him in the Irish Under 20's set-up with someone more experienced to help out the new guys coming through. As for POC hope it works out for him.

[dropkick]

parasites of Irish rugby tag.

I think Munster should have more home grown players but that's a reflection of past mistakes regarding the lack of player development.


Southern hemisphere people could equally call Leinster parasites.

[deco]

parasites of Irish rugby tag.

I think Munster should have more home grown players but that's a reflection of past mistakes regarding the lack of player development

Well hopefully so, and they'll start bringing some talent through. What have they changed that will improve the production line?

[tomthefan]

parasites of Irish rugby tag.

I think Munster should have more home grown players but that's a reflection of past mistakes regarding the lack of player development

Well hopefully so, and they'll start bringing some talent through. What have they changed that will improve the production line?

We're working on emulating you guys by doubling our population and having 90% of them living within spitting distance of Thomond Park.
It's tough going while the govt gives Dublin three teats with everyone else fighting over the hind one.

[Dave Cahill]

In fairness, we do deserve both parachutes.

[RAILWAY1]

We need to open our eyes to the young talent that is out there in clubs outside the schools network while some notable exceptions have come through the scales are tipped very heavily towards schools players when it comes to selection for the academy. Leinster have an advantage in population size which does helps with finding the raw material for development so we need to be a bit creative and maybe look at good athletic players in other codes to boost our numbers rather than looking at importing players for our academy

[tomthefan]

In fairness, we do deserve both parachutes.

Population of Limerick is about the same as Carlisle.
Population of Dublin is greater than that of Liverpool.
The real story is that Munster has over-performed historically and even
currently.

[Dave Cahill]

Carlisle is a great example. A club run by spoofers and borderline loons who loaded it with debt until a guy from Dublin came in and put the club back on a sound financial footing

[deco]

I think Munster should have more home grown players but that's a reflection of past mistakes regarding the lack of player development

Well hopefully so, and they'll start bringing some talent through. What have they changed that will improve the production line?

We're working on emulating you guys by doubling our population and having 90% of them living within spitting distance of Thomond Park.
It's tough going while the govt gives Dublin three teats with everyone else fighting over the hind one.

We all agree the business model of poaching/purchasing talent to the extent that Munster currently are isn't ideal. I think most rugby people feel that's it's also unsustainable. So what exactly have Munster done to address the problem they have bringing young talent through?

If the answer is nothing except let's blame demographics/Dublin/Leinster/IRFU, then they're in even more trouble than I thought.

[dropkick]

parasites of Irish rugby tag.

I think Munster should have more home grown players but that's a reflection of past mistakes regarding the lack of player development

Well hopefully so, and they'll start bringing some talent through. What have they changed that will improve the production line?

It's gotten better in recent years. There's now good quality youngsters coming through. When the golden generation retired there was nothing there to replace them and there was about a decade gap between that group retiring and the academy producing quality. So over 25 year old home grown Munster players are in short supply apart from one or two stand outside like Murray and POM.


Regards population, it plays a part but if it was that important England would be comfortably better than NZ. Leinster got their player development going early and are reaping the rewards now. Munsters leaders were asleep at the wheel.

[tomthefan]

Carlisle is a great example. A club run by spoofers and borderline loons who loaded it with debt until a guy from Dublin came in and put the club back on a sound financial footing

That's a heartwarming tale, and what have they won with this guy from Dublin? Nothing, now he's long gone after lost his shirt on them.

[tomthefan]

Leinster got their player development going early and are reaping the rewards now. Munsters leaders were asleep at the wheel.

Leinster did yeah. Leinster benefited from being in the most populous and affluent part of the country (as most capitals are though not to the extent of Ireland where we're run almost as a one city state) .
Leinster thus had the Lions share of the private rugby playing schools. That's what Leinster got so right and you can thank the Jesuits and the other orders and successive administrations for that. Leinster rugby, nah.