Insular Ireland

qwertyup

Just wondering what the concensus was on boards.ie with regards to what seems to be IRFU policy, namely the reluctance to consider players plying their trade outside of the country.

I mean, just look at how long it took Murphy to get into the squad, considering the English press have been jacking off over him for years.

Another example would be Trevor Brennan. He doesn't seem to have had a look in since he left Leinster for Toulouse. I realise that he's vying for a competitive position (since he's shifted to playing second row IIRC), but even so, one would think that playing regularly for Toulouse he would at least be considered for the bench. A poor player is not going to get a game in a team with players like Pelous, Clerc, Poitrenaud, Jauzion etc.

Plus he'll be the only Irish player in the Heineken Cup final (assuming O' Connor isn't fit enough to play for Wasps)

Rambling a bit now, so I'll just finish off.

Hugh_C

Originally posted by qwertyup
Another example would be Trevor Brennan. He doesn't seem to have had a look in since he left Leinster for Toulouse.

Trevor was a loose canon. A bit free with his fists. I think he was a liability.

hc

the fnj

Brennan isn't good enough to get on the team, he was asked out to a training camp recently but there are better players ahead of him in second row and back row.

bugler

He was in the extended squad for the English game if I recall correctly. He's a scumbag anyway.

It does seem to help to play for, well let's face it, Munster or Leinster. But there are players who still overcome this. Maggs has done it for a long time. Henderson did it before him, seems it worked in reverse for him :-) Justin Bishop was given a fair crack of the whip too. There does seem to be a few players who for the purposes of getting for internationals may as well have gone to another sport though. Bob Casey. Justin Fitzpatrick (not really a fan of his anyway).

We'll see what happens over the next year with O'Connor. To be honest I haven't seen a lot of him but I've heard the reviews, and if he was on that Wasps team then he can't be half-bad.

GreenHell

Brennan has turned into a ruthless big hitter down in toulouse, could have used some of that on sunday.

Irish players outside of Ireland will always be second preferance to players who decide to play in Ireland so that can make the Irish team, unless their world class. I agree about the whole Murphy thing he should have been playing in the squad at least two seasons before he became a regular.

I think from 15 to 1 you can pick pick at least pick more than one player for every position, shaun payne is a full back at heart and carries an irish passport

MarVeL

Personally I think that it makes sense to look at local players first. For a start the players around them are going to be more familiar with their style of play but it also helps support the provincial game if there is a realisation that you may be hurting your national prospects by moving abroad.

Outstanding players will make themselves known (although I'd agree it took too long in Murphy's case) even if they do move abroad and if the player is only slightly better than a local player than the enhanced knowledge of the players around them may well make up for the difference

bucks73

Simon Easterby is doing alright playing in Wales.

Anyway theres no harm in favouring Irish based players if it persuades the exiles to sign for one of the home provinces. It can only make them stronger. They either earn the big money in England or France or get more coverage playing at home.