MUNSTER ATTACK COACH Mike Prendergast feels Tom Farrell fully deserves his Ireland call up after the centre was added to Andy Farrell’s squad for the November internationals on Monday.
Having initially been overlooked in last week’s squad announcement, Farrell belatedly received the good news after the Ireland boss counted the cost of an attritional weekend for his players on provincial duty
At 32, Farrell may have felt his chance with Ireland was gone but the centre now has an opportunity to impress Andy Farrell and the Ireland coaches over the coming weeks. Whether he manages to win a cap remains to be seen. Back at Munster, his coaches are just happy to see a player who has become a core part of their team finally get his reward.
Farrell joined Munster from Connacht in summer 2024 and was the province’s player of the year for the 2024/25 season, having played in every competitive fixture across the campaign. He’s carried that form into the new season, delivering another big display as Munster toppled Leinster in Croke Park.
“He’s a great fella as well, and that’s why everyone is so happy for him,” says Munster attack coach Mike Prendergast.
The Ireland squad departed for Chicago today. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
“He’s been brilliant for us. There’s no other way of saying it, his performances, and for me, he does it at the top level as well. Even last weekend and you look at some of our big games last year, he was outstanding.
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“I sometimes just bring it back to simplicity. He’s one of these players, and ironically two players I always give examples of to the lads as well would be Brian O’Driscoll and Barry Murphy, they run with the ball in two hands. Tom does that and it’s very hard to defend. You’re playing with defenders, they don’t know if you’re going to carry or if you’re going to pass.
“And he just has this ability… he gets his nose through or he makes line breaks. Even you think back to the Leinster game in Croke Park last year, the amount of times he made line breaks as well.
“So he’s been a brilliant signing for us, a great fella around the place and thoroughly deserves his call up. Delighted for him, it’s been one of those ones that’s worked out really well.”
The flipside of Farrell call up is that Munster won’t have his services for Saturday’s Thomond Park meeting with Connacht. Win, and Munster will head into the November break with a clean sweep of victories across their opening block of URC fixtures.
It’s an interesting challenge given Munster also go into it without both Jack Crowley and Tadhg Beirne, the two outstanding performers in the Leinster win.
On the injury front, Brian Gleeson and Edwin Edogbo are sidelined, with both pulling out of the Ireland squad. Edogbo is managing a concussion while Gleeson fractured his elbow against Leinster.
The timing is unfortunate, but Prendergast has backed Gleeson to play a big part for Munster this season following his recovery.
“Even he’s on for half an hour the hour day, you see some of his carries, his close-in contacts, even the finish for the try he looked like he was stopped but he’s a strong young lad, I’d say that much, and he’s building really, really nicely.
I said it a few weeks ago about Edwin, Brian’s ceiling is very, very high as well.
“He’s an explosive back rower, he has a lot to his game, he’s quick, he has great footwork. The timing isn’t great, timing is never great, and yeah, especially after being called into an international squad, but he’ll come back I’ve no doubt. He has a big long future ahead of him, there’s no fear there.
“I think there’ll be more clarity on it during the week. Hopefully it won’t be too long and we get him back on the pitch. He’s a good young lad.”
In more positive news, winger Diarmuid Kilgallen could line out at the weekend for the first time this season as the former Connacht man steps up his recovery from an ankle injury.
“He’ll train this week so hopefully he’ll be in the mix because he’s just been unbelievably unlucky,” Prendergast said.
“He got called into the Ireland squad during the summer and rightly so. His ability, he’s just incredibly explosive and quick, again, he has a great profile. He’s just been unlucky over the last while with injuries.
“So hopefully he’ll be back very, very soon and he gets a run of it.”
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'He thoroughly deserves it' - Munster delighted to see Farrell get Ireland call
MUNSTER ATTACK COACH Mike Prendergast feels Tom Farrell fully deserves his Ireland call up after the centre was added to Andy Farrell’s squad for the November internationals on Monday.
Having initially been overlooked in last week’s squad announcement, Farrell belatedly received the good news after the Ireland boss counted the cost of an attritional weekend for his players on provincial duty
At 32, Farrell may have felt his chance with Ireland was gone but the centre now has an opportunity to impress Andy Farrell and the Ireland coaches over the coming weeks. Whether he manages to win a cap remains to be seen. Back at Munster, his coaches are just happy to see a player who has become a core part of their team finally get his reward.
Farrell joined Munster from Connacht in summer 2024 and was the province’s player of the year for the 2024/25 season, having played in every competitive fixture across the campaign. He’s carried that form into the new season, delivering another big display as Munster toppled Leinster in Croke Park.
“He’s a great fella as well, and that’s why everyone is so happy for him,” says Munster attack coach Mike Prendergast.
“He’s been brilliant for us. There’s no other way of saying it, his performances, and for me, he does it at the top level as well. Even last weekend and you look at some of our big games last year, he was outstanding.
“I sometimes just bring it back to simplicity. He’s one of these players, and ironically two players I always give examples of to the lads as well would be Brian O’Driscoll and Barry Murphy, they run with the ball in two hands. Tom does that and it’s very hard to defend. You’re playing with defenders, they don’t know if you’re going to carry or if you’re going to pass.
“And he just has this ability… he gets his nose through or he makes line breaks. Even you think back to the Leinster game in Croke Park last year, the amount of times he made line breaks as well.
“So he’s been a brilliant signing for us, a great fella around the place and thoroughly deserves his call up. Delighted for him, it’s been one of those ones that’s worked out really well.”
The flipside of Farrell call up is that Munster won’t have his services for Saturday’s Thomond Park meeting with Connacht. Win, and Munster will head into the November break with a clean sweep of victories across their opening block of URC fixtures.
It’s an interesting challenge given Munster also go into it without both Jack Crowley and Tadhg Beirne, the two outstanding performers in the Leinster win.
On the injury front, Brian Gleeson and Edwin Edogbo are sidelined, with both pulling out of the Ireland squad. Edogbo is managing a concussion while Gleeson fractured his elbow against Leinster.
The timing is unfortunate, but Prendergast has backed Gleeson to play a big part for Munster this season following his recovery.
“Even he’s on for half an hour the hour day, you see some of his carries, his close-in contacts, even the finish for the try he looked like he was stopped but he’s a strong young lad, I’d say that much, and he’s building really, really nicely.
“He’s an explosive back rower, he has a lot to his game, he’s quick, he has great footwork. The timing isn’t great, timing is never great, and yeah, especially after being called into an international squad, but he’ll come back I’ve no doubt. He has a big long future ahead of him, there’s no fear there.
“I think there’ll be more clarity on it during the week. Hopefully it won’t be too long and we get him back on the pitch. He’s a good young lad.”
In more positive news, winger Diarmuid Kilgallen could line out at the weekend for the first time this season as the former Connacht man steps up his recovery from an ankle injury.
“He’ll train this week so hopefully he’ll be in the mix because he’s just been unbelievably unlucky,” Prendergast said.
“He got called into the Ireland squad during the summer and rightly so. His ability, he’s just incredibly explosive and quick, again, he has a great profile. He’s just been unlucky over the last while with injuries.
“So hopefully he’ll be back very, very soon and he gets a run of it.”
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Mike Prendergast Munster On the plane Rugby Tom Farrell