HAVING STARTED LAST season on fire, Brian Gleeson earned a call-up to Andy Farrell’s wider squad for Ireland’s trip to Chicago to take on the All Blacks.
Sadly for Gleeson, he then suffered a fractured elbow when Munster went to Croke Park and beat Leinster. There was to be no fun for him with Ireland.
The Tipperary man did at least later get a chance to join Farrell’s camp towards the end of this year’s Six Nations, underlining that the Irish coaching staff are keen on him.
Gleeson has started this season well too, backing up his superb start for Munster against the Bulls in the URC with a powerful showing as the southern province beat Racing 92 in Cork on Saturday night.
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With Ireland skipper and number eight Caelan Doris missing the upcoming Nations Championship window due to injury, and Jack Conan emerging as a big injury worry after Leinster’s win away to Clermont, opportunity could knock for Gleeson.
There are still powerful contenders for Ireland at number eight, most obviously Connacht’s potent Sean Jansen. There are others like Bryn Ward hoping for far more time in the saddle in Farrell’s Ireland set-up.
But Munster are optimistic that Gleeson might be part of Farrell’s Ireland squad, which is due to be officially announced this Wednesday.
“You’d like to think so,” said Munster boss Clayton McMillan. “We’re desperate to get a few bodies in there.
“The only way we’re going to do that is by putting in performances that actually draw the attention of selectors and earn that and force them to take a bit of a deeper look.
“It’s a quality team and it’s not easy to get into it and it shouldn’t be easy to get into it. All we can do is control how we prepare and perform. Other people will decide that.”
While Gleeson wasn’t flawless against Racing – a missed tackle for one of the French side’s tries probably rankled – he showcased his dynamism in contact in virtually every other involvement.
His try directly from a five-metre scrum was a major highlight.
That was particularly fitting given that Gleeson was wearing the number 24 shirt rather than the number eight jersey, one of several tributes paid to the late Anthony Foley.
“He’s explosive, particularly off the back of the scrum,” said McMillan of Gleeson.
“We should probably use him a little bit more. And it was nice to see him get over. It was a fairly poignant moment.”
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Munster hope to see Brian Gleeson getting Ireland's call
HAVING STARTED LAST season on fire, Brian Gleeson earned a call-up to Andy Farrell’s wider squad for Ireland’s trip to Chicago to take on the All Blacks.
Sadly for Gleeson, he then suffered a fractured elbow when Munster went to Croke Park and beat Leinster. There was to be no fun for him with Ireland.
The Tipperary man did at least later get a chance to join Farrell’s camp towards the end of this year’s Six Nations, underlining that the Irish coaching staff are keen on him.
Gleeson has started this season well too, backing up his superb start for Munster against the Bulls in the URC with a powerful showing as the southern province beat Racing 92 in Cork on Saturday night.
With Ireland skipper and number eight Caelan Doris missing the upcoming Nations Championship window due to injury, and Jack Conan emerging as a big injury worry after Leinster’s win away to Clermont, opportunity could knock for Gleeson.
There are still powerful contenders for Ireland at number eight, most obviously Connacht’s potent Sean Jansen. There are others like Bryn Ward hoping for far more time in the saddle in Farrell’s Ireland set-up.
But Munster are optimistic that Gleeson might be part of Farrell’s Ireland squad, which is due to be officially announced this Wednesday.
“You’d like to think so,” said Munster boss Clayton McMillan. “We’re desperate to get a few bodies in there.
“The only way we’re going to do that is by putting in performances that actually draw the attention of selectors and earn that and force them to take a bit of a deeper look.
“It’s a quality team and it’s not easy to get into it and it shouldn’t be easy to get into it. All we can do is control how we prepare and perform. Other people will decide that.”
While Gleeson wasn’t flawless against Racing – a missed tackle for one of the French side’s tries probably rankled – he showcased his dynamism in contact in virtually every other involvement.
His try directly from a five-metre scrum was a major highlight.
That was particularly fitting given that Gleeson was wearing the number 24 shirt rather than the number eight jersey, one of several tributes paid to the late Anthony Foley.
“He’s explosive, particularly off the back of the scrum,” said McMillan of Gleeson.
“We should probably use him a little bit more. And it was nice to see him get over. It was a fairly poignant moment.”
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Brían Gleeson Ireland Munster Naming URC