Seeking Enlightenment

Pinetree Boy

Can a Munster fan enlighten me why they would sign a six month deal for another Kiwi. See article below.

www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10577793

danthefan

Because TOL is injured. Think.

Pinetree Boy

Thanks dan. Still seems strange to me. Good enough journey man but wouldn't be in the top 4 NZ halfbacks and doesn't say much for Irish player development. TBF though NZ development is just as bad when Mc allister has to be rushed back into ABs.

2040

Funny picture.

danthefan

Pinetree Boy wrote: »

Thanks dan. Still seems strange to me. Good enough journey man but wouldn't be in the top 4 NZ halfbacks and doesn't say much for Irish player development. TBF though NZ development is just as bad when Mc allister has to be rushed back into ABs.

I don't think it's fair to say that about Irish player development to be honest. If Stringer goes down in the first game of next season, Munster are absolutely screwed, you can't just pull 2 lads from the academy and tell them to go play Heineken Cup standard rugby. They've brought in a guy with S14 experience, and once TOL is fit again he'll be gone.

chupacabra

Was this nessacary? Could Connor Murray not have been given a full contract and played behind Strings till O'Learey gets well? Seems a bad move to me.

danthefan

chupacabra wrote: »

Was this nessacary? Could Connor Murray not have been given a full contract and played behind Strings till O'Learey gets well? Seems a bad move to me.

As I said, if Stringer gets injured, what then?

ALH-06

Has Prendergast been released?

If so, it's surely a foolish move by Munster. He's not a great player or anything, but a senior squad with only two SHs?

Cue Munster importing a journeyman on a temporary (and probably very lucrative) contract. Doesn't make sense...

Chucky the tree

Smart move. With fractures it's never possible to give an excact date or even time frame of when he will be fully recovered. It makes alot of sense to cover all possibilties of TOL being out for longer then expected.

danthefan

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Smart move. With fractures it's never possible to give an excact date or even time frame of when he will be fully recovered. It makes alot of sense to cover all possibilties of TOL being out for longer then expect.

Exactly. I'm 100% opposed to provinces signing foreign journeyman if it's at all avoidable but I really can't see a problem here, in fact it's the sensible thing to do.

[Jackass]

He's a bridging player, there's no issue at all here, as said, you can't expect academy players to just walk into heineken cup standard matches and preform.

Junior

[Jackass] wrote: »

He's a bridging player, there's no issue at all here, as said, you can't expect academy players to just walk into heineken cup standard matches and preform.

It's the same as Melck last year, he did a decent job, covered the position ably and left on good terms.

Real FM

I see both sides to the argument here.

I really don't like seeing porvinces sign plares from oversees. Look whats happened to England since the big influx to the Premiership. The IRFU have loosened their grip on letting overseas players in but I really hope they don't loosen it anymore.

I don't know how good that academy scrum half in Munster is but if you look at Leinster and that Ozzie lad Bierne coming in at centre, I'd definately say he is stopping quality potential talent from getting their chance.

Podge_irl

Real FM wrote: »

I see both sides to the argument here.

I really don't like seeing porvinces sign plares from oversees. Look whats happened to England since the big influx to the Premiership. The IRFU have loosened their grip on letting overseas players in but I really hope they don't loosen it anymore.

No they haven't. There are far fewer foreign journeymen in the squads then there were a few seasons ago. The actual number of foreigners hasn't gone up, though they potentially play more as they are generally brought in for a reason.

[Jackass]

The journeyman element in Irish rugby is gone.

You used to be allowed have 6 foreign players of any standard.

You were then allowed have 6, but 3 had to be Elite and 3 had to be development

You are now only allowed 5 from this season, and all have to be "Elite" (although not strictly imposed, as players brought in for cover like Munster at scrumhalf or Leinster with backup 10/12).

From next season or the following season, you will only be allowed 4 foreign players, all elite, and that's where it will stay for the forseeable future. So in any match day 22 there will be a minimum of 18 Irish players for the provinces.

It's the reason why Leinster are so concerned with bringing home Irish talent, such as Ross to replace Van Der Linde / Wright f required, Reddan to replace Whitaker, Sexton replacing Contepomi, with Beirne as cover for 1 year and possibly Keatley to be signed or just academy player come as backup when Sexton has more experience, O'Brien taking 6 in Rockys absensce, and they will probably try and sign an Irish backrow.

At the moment we'd only have 3 foreign players, CJ, Wright & Nacewa, and then that Beirne player covering.

budhabob

2040 wrote: »

Funny picture.

hehe, looks like he's giving "the constipated gun show". Classic pose to bo be fair.

TarfHead

[Jackass] wrote: »

At the moment we'd only have 3 foreign players, CJ, Wright & Nacewa, and then that Beirne player covering.

I thought I had read that Wright had left ?

Crash

Nope, he's staying. Was a rumour that he would be gone, but turned out to be false.

tommy57

Real FM wrote: »

I see both sides to the argument here.

I really don't like seeing porvinces sign plares from oversees. Look whats happened to England since the big influx to the Premiership. The IRFU have loosened their grip on letting overseas players in but I really hope they don't loosen it anymore.

I don't know how good that academy scrum half in Munster is but if you look at Leinster and that Ozzie lad Bierne coming in at centre, I'd definately say he is stopping quality potential talent from getting their chance.

I agree the IRFU are gone very soft now regards foreign players. We need to bring on the younger players now ahead of the world cup,make sure they get gametime in the magners league during 6 nations.

Depp

they cant just not allow players from some countries due to international labour laws

Amazotheamazing

Even if we kept Prendy on, is he really HEC standard anymore? And as player/coach of Young Munster, he can't just go missing to sit on the bench for Munster every other weekend.

We've been very unlucky in that Duncan Williams has been injured again this season, he was about to get his first senior start when he did his shoulder in.

anonymous_joe

tommy57 wrote: »

I agree the IRFU are gone very soft now regards foreign players. We need to bring on the younger players now ahead of the world cup,make sure they get gametime in the magners league during 6 nations.

You what?

They've reduced the number of imports allowed.

Only Connacht and Munster really have what you'd call 'journeymen.' And that's just because sometimes it's an unfortunate necessity.

Real FM

Last season Leinster consistantly fielded:

- Nacewa
- Contepomi
- Wright
- Elsom
and occasionally Le Roux and brought back Holwell for a game or 2

Munster constantly fielded:

- Melck
- Mafi
- Tipoki
- Howlett
- Warwick

And I'm probably missing others.

Leinster/ Munster have never in there past fielded this many foreigners consistantly. Irish rugby has never had so much depth and yet our provinces are fielding more foreigners than ever. I think there definately a strong case that the IRFU need to tighten up.

Tomtom364

melck only played for 4 months to cover injury.
topoki has been injured and has not played cnstantally.

and warrick has been living here for years and has an irish wife and kid.
dosnt really count as a forigen player IMO even though he is counted as one by the people that make the rules due to his like one game of 7's for australia

Real FM

When fit Tipoki was a first team palyer so we can assume he would have been a first team player all season. Warwick is Australian, it doesn't really matter what his wife and kids are. If he had moved to London Irish would you still consider him Irish?

Crash

And Leinster in this case will now be able to field a pretty much full strength Irish first XV this season (and a full Irish 22 at a push), so I don't think its as much an issue really.

Real FM

Yeah hopefully, but there is still a summer of transfers to go. Definately haven't talent there that needs to get game time.

danthefan

Tomtom364 wrote: »

melck only played for 4 months to cover injury.
topoki has been injured and has not played cnstantally.

and warrick has been living here for years and has an irish wife and kid.
dosnt really count as a forigen player IMO even though he is counted as one by the people that make the rules due to his like one game of 7's for australia

He doesn't qualify for Ireland, of course he's foreign.