MUNSTER COULD DIP into the All-Ireland League in their bid to find solutions to an ongoing prop crisis.
The province have been hit by a wave of front-row injuries across the early weeks of the URC season.
Dave Kilcoyne (ankle), Oli Jager (neck), Josh Wycherley (neck), Roman Salanoa (knee) and Mark Donnelly (ankle) are all currently unavailable, and Jeremy Loughman is facing at least eight weeks on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury in the recent defeat at the Stormers.
Those injuries have left the province juggling their resources. Munster had academy props Kieran Ryan and Ronan Foxe on the bench against the Sharks last weekend as John Ryan switched from tighthead to cover loosehead in the starting XV. Ryan continues in that role for tomorrow’s meeting with the All Blacks XV at Thomond Park.
Munster’s next competitive fixture is against the Lions on 30 November, and interim head coach Ian Costello says that as it stands, Dave Kilcoyne is the only injured prop who might be available for that game.
“Killer is the only one on track at the moment,” said Costello, who is Munster’s Head of Rugby Operations.
“The others are longer shots but by that first game (back) in four weeks’ time, at the moment that’s what it potentially could be.
“We know that it’s at least eight weeks (for Jeremy Loughman) and the scans could extend that a little bit, but at least eight weeks.
“Guys like Oli are progressing well but there’s a little unknown on one area so we can’t give exact time-frames. With a bit of luck he might be back then as well.”
With Munster also due to compete in an ‘A’ inter-provincial men’s championship over the coming weeks, the province are looking to secure short-term injury cover. They are actively monitoring players in the AIL, while also exploring the possibility of securing cover from overseas – an option dependent on the IRFU making an exception to the ban on the provinces signing non-Irish-qualified props.
“I’d say in the last two weeks, we have looked at half a dozen AIL props,” Costello said.
“We are looking at and tracking the AIL all the time. We cut up the footage. It goes in front of the senior coaches all the time.
“We create depth charts in the AIL. The proof in the pudding is that we have just re-contracted, even though it’s only short-term, Bryan Fitzgerald. We will be tracking those props all the time and looking very closely at them. We are looking at that versus overseas options as well.”
Otherwise Costello is confident Munster have the numbers to compete over the next block of fixtures.
Diarmuid Kilgallen and Paddy Patterson are both set to return to action in tomorrow’s game at Thomond Park, while Thaakir Abrahams, Shane Daly, Liam Coombes and Alex Nankivell are on track to be fit for the Lions game. Brian Gleeson played AIL last weekend while Costello hopes Edwin Edogbo will be the mix shortly after the Lions game.
“At the moment we have got 43 contracted players and 19 Academy, so in the building, if we had everyone fit, we would have 62 (players),” Costello added.
“But I think we might have to go for a front-row (player) because we have five front-rows at the moment, and as you guys know, we are looking for short-term cover.
“But I would say outside of the front-row, we will go into those games on the 22nd and the 29th with a very strong squad, but we might have to dip into the AIL front-row.”
Still need to hear the reasons behind Rowntree’s departure, something not right there at all.
@The Firestarter: fully agree. He was there for 5 years. Not one player or coach has the dignity to thank him. Very disappointing
@The Firestarter: He probably refused to tog out for the front row when they were stuck. Any expert in the AIL know who may be up to the required standard (as a prop, not head coach)?
@Ben Breathnach: More likely he offered and the IRFU refused cos he’s not IQ. He’s not much older than Archer and Ryan but sure it’s the foreigners who are blocking the pathway.
@paul doyle: Ian Costello has been the only staff member rolled out to the media thus far and he has thanked Rowntree.
@Justin Robinson: he would be Irish qualified by now, given he has lived in Ireland for the past five years and hasn’t played for any other national team in the interim.
@Ben Breathnach: who would be the top 3/4 props in the ail that could step up. I don’t follow the ail too closely. Just interested.
@JoeVlogs: he wouldn’t only qualify if he was already IQ before he was capped for England
@JoeVlogs: sorry, he would only qualify had he been IQ before been capped by England
@paul doyle: I’d be a bit disappointed if they came out specifically to thank him. That kind thing should be done honestly and in person, not via the media. In public they need to get on with the show.
@The Firestarter: some pretty shocking WA doing the rounds..
@paul doyle: agreed not one player thanked him or were not allowed comment
@JoeVlogs: While we are taking this suggestion “seriously”, I might point out that he wasn’t born in Ireland and doesn’t qualify through a Grandparent so he cannot switch alliegences from England
Surely it would be an opportunity for one of the Leinster back ups, Boyle/Milne etc, to get some game time or send down Healy to show them what durability is!!
Leinster possibly would be afraid they’d come back crocked.
@Andrew Lynch: exactly Boyle Milne or Clarkson should go down there till February. Win win for all involved
@Andrew Lynch: Healy himself has had injuries down through the years
@Andrew Lynch: actually Healy was on the verge of retiring due to an injury a few years back
@Gary Galligan: Clarkson has played in every single game for Leinster this season. Milne has played in 4 of the 6 games so far. Only Boyle is lacking in game time. Though Paddy McCarthy could do with minutes too if he’s fit. Not sure either Boyle or McCarthy could move south though, as they are both still in college, I think.
@Andrew Lynch: it’s a fair point. Our record of keeping players fit and healthy would probably put a lot of players off
@Andrew Lynch: every leinster prop that goes down there ends up crocked. Loughman, jager solano. The club can’t keep players on the pitch ask RG.
@chris mcdonnell: when did Jager play for Leinster?
@chris mcdonnell: who’s Solano? Is he any good?
@Stephen Nolan: Yes, there is more to the academy then just gane time.
@chris mcdonnell: Loughman has 112 Munster caps and five Ireland caps. I wouldn’t call him “crocked”. Salanoa is a heap of injuries but it’s been that way from day 1 and it’s a wild stretch to blame Munster for that. It may be just as much about the player’s own body, as seen with other players who departed the province. Snyman was just ridiculously unlucky to do his knees back to back. Beyond those two long-term injuries, he wasn’t out much. I think it’s too early doors to say Jager is crocked.
I’d say when Wig was told that he couldn’t bring in NIQ front row LH, it was the final straw with what I believe was an already very stressed relationship with IFRU over player availability and budget and he wasn’t getting the support in this matter from the Munster branch.
I heard he was offered a leinster academy LH as medical joker which I think he took as an insult . I’d say with him being a great man of integrity, he just had enough. Munster Academy front row v SA FFS and now forced to look at only AIL Props…
@Dara Gannon: Yes. And Ulster have been reduced to signing two IQ Championship THs previously considered not good enough for Academy sides. It’s ludicrous. Call it out Murray Kinsella!!!!!
Frustrating isn’t it!!
Where is all that IRFU support?
It’s no problem. Leinster have to prioritise helping Munster for the rest of this season at least. They should send 2 of Milne, McCarthy and Boyle to Munster; of course Porter and Healy won’t be able to play in the URC because of International commitments; but that’s ok because they’ll still have 1 senior LH plus Usanov from their Academy to play in those matches.