Munster side named for this game tomorrow. Good side. I don't know Finn McCall at blindside at all, but otherwise a relatively experienced selection. Good to see Salanoa getting more time to build fitness. I've been impressed by Kamil Nowak anytime I've seen him at AIL level, and Alex Lautsou looked really good for the Irish U19 schools this summer.
Munster A:
15. Ben O’Connor (UCC)
14. Shay McCarthy (Young Munster)
13. Fionn Gibbons (Young Munster)
12. Eoghan Smyth (Cork Constitution)
11. Gene O’Leary Kareem (UCC)
10. Tony Butler (Young Munster)
9. Jake O’Riordan (Young Munster)
1. Mark Donnelly (Cork Constitution)
2. Max Clein (Garryowen)
3. Kieran Ryan (Young Munster)
4. Conor Ryan (UCC)
5. Evan O’Connell (C) (Young Munster)
6. Finn McCall (Garryowen)
7. Oisín Minogue (Shannon)
8. Luke Murphy (Young Munster).
Replacements:
16. Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution)
17. Johnny Byrne (Garryowen) - u20 hooker
18. George Hadden (Garryowen)
19. Darragh McSweeney (Nenagh Ormond)
20. Roman Salanoa (Nenagh Ormond)
21. Kamil Nowak (Cork Constitution)
22. Alex Lautsou (UL Bohemian) - u19 backrow
23. John Poland (Young Munster)
24. Dylan Hicks (Cork Constitution)
25. Jed O’Dwyer (UCC)
Finn McCall is an Irish second row/six who is playing with Garryowen, came over two or so years ago after a spell abroad.
https://www.irishrugby.ie/2025/10/03/theres-a-lot-of-new-faces-but-still-a-good-core-group-garryowen-lock-mccall/
Leinster side is named now aswell:
Few interesting selections - keen to see how Niall Smyth goes off the bench - he seems to have slipped behind Andrew Sparrow slightly in the eyes of the coaches. Good to get guys like Smykovskiy and Meagher, who look like high potential athletes involved.
Leinster Rugby ‘A’ v Munster Rugby ‘A’ (senior caps in brackets):
15. Hugo McLaughlin
14. Joshua Kenny (1)
13. Connor Fahy - u21
12. Charlie Tector (18)
11. Andrew Osborne (13)
10. Caspar Gabriel - u21 9. Oliver Coffey (2)
1. Alex Usanov - u21
2. John McKee (37) CAPTAIN
3. Andrew Sparrow (1) 4. Alan Spicer (1) - u21 5. Billy Corrigan - u21
6. Diarmuid Mangan (18)
7. Will Connors (59)
8. James Culhane (21)
16. Stephen Smyth (4)
17. Jerry Cahir
18. Niall Smyth - u21
19. Artur Smykovskiy - u20 20. Charlie Meagher - u20 21. Tadhg Brophy 22. Ciarán Mangan - u21 23. Todd Lawlor - u21 24. Mahon Ronan - u21 25. Páidí Farrell - u21
Didnt play representatitve rugby but did well when went to NZ through NUIG links. Played on a poor NUIG side but needed step up to AIL rugby
Where is Sean Edogbo? Injured?
Think so, either that or 24th man for Munster in Croke Park possibly.
Casper Gabriel will draw a lot of the interest but I’d be as curious about Smykovskiy. He looked a big unit in senior cup last year. Is he Irish eligible?
No idea tbh. I've seen it asked plenty of times on Leinsterfans too and no conclusive answer. He was a boarder in Blackrock, but in the past that hasn't counted towards eligibility (same with another Russian in Blackrock back in the day, Vasya Artemyev). He could, of course, have Irish family or something that qualifies him.
I suspect he isn't, as he hasn't played for any Irish underage sides up to this point, but could be wrong on that.
His parents would have to be fully resident in Ireland for him to be eligible and having spent the time here. Theres been others as well. He didnt play for any irish sides yet
Would be same as casper gabriel. Whos parents didnt move over from Austria. Think his eligibility for Ireland only counts from when he turned 18
The way Farrell selects they are unlikely to feature in a squad till at least 23 anyway!
There was a recent world rugby ruling where I think some of those schooling years can count. Can't 100% remember the exact details
26 all draw today between Leinster & Munster in the A fixtures.
A lot of discussion on our pathways, giving younger lads proper game time to develop etc
Some ideas
Some thoughts, maybe already discussed, looking forward to the critique!!
Not having a go at your post but it kind of always annoys me that there's an element of the shiny new thing will be better if given gametime. JOD for example might not be the player he and we hoped he'd be but he's also an important player within the squad and there's a need to have a player or players like him in every squad.
This season, Munster have used 62 players in non competitive games (Pre-Season, "A" games and Argentina) 25 of those players at not on our senior Squad. 5 of that 25 have players competitively for Munster this season.
More "A" games (National and Club) would definitely help in the development pathways, I miss the old B&I Cup
@jimbob955 good post. Moced it to academies thread whwre this has been discusswd before rather than its own thread.
We wont get a proper a series. Goergia etc have their own european nations cup sowhen we play 6 nations they are playing that and theyre unlikwly to want to give that up just to play our A sides and its hard enough for english/french to get relwases for occasional games never mind a full A team series.
I think a mix of AIL and A games is a good mix. On vrnues. I dont see problem w9th then being in d9fferent venues. Bringing A games to nenagh or creggs or navan or derry is good at apreading province rugby around all of the island and that cant be seen as a negative.
Think you are correct - The issue with Gabriel as I understand it is that he went back to Austria for an extended period during Covid while the schools were closed which created a break in his residency.
There was some back and forth between the IRFU and the IRB on this , but not sure of the outcome in terms of when he becomes eligible.
I dont know the answer to this but do the A inter pros ever do the job of player development?
If not what about a new u-23 series like what SA just announced. Put a few quid into it. Maybe even get some tv.
thanks I didn't realise this was here.
Georgia have outgrown the 6Nations B competition, Spain/Portugal need better challenges also. Maybe a combined "A" T2 league could benefit all. But as you said France wouldn't get players released. Wales, Scotl, Italy probably dont have the money or depth for it.
As for a relaunch of the "A" games, maybe a rebrand, like a new internal Prem cup for the provinces might work. I know I like to see games moved around the provinces. But they could def be marketed properly, better KO times, and ensured teams put out proper competitive squads also.
Do you think the AIL is a good enough league to properly develop players who can play consitent international rugby?
I love the AIL but it seems to be a half way house, pro players playing alongside amaterus, I'm not so sure.
Georgia possibly have outgrown enc but they wont leave it for A games against anyone.
When you say rebrand of A games. We have an A interpro series. Not sure what kind of rebrand you want of that? What do you define as properly competitve sides as provinces are only going to use it f9r debelopment and each province will have very different needs. Better kick off times such as? There will be lot of other reasons why games arw on early. Like when munster ulster a few weeks ago was in nenqgh at half 2 instead of evening time.
AiL is a steppimg stone to be used alongside of A games building into urc so yes it has a role in develop8ng our pro players
But Georgia have hit a ceiling and so will Spain the next 10 years. What's the alternative? Play Switzerland and Poland forever. Surely a properly supported, backed, integrated "A"/T2 competition would be of more benefit and more challenge than playing Czechia the next 10 years.
Anyway this is not important, and I am diverging.
The B AND I cup was in hindsight very good, proper supported, attended competition, a good schedule of games. The current A comp, is very hap hazard, 1 game here and there, weird venues, weird KO times. Surely if they had games on Friday at 7pm or Sat at 230, in a place like Donnybrook or Dexcom or as you said some new venues like Derry or Clonmel or wherever and promoted it, they would get a very very good crowd.
AIL for sure is a stepping stone but is it good enough to trely create international calibre players.
Do we play French Espoir's more like Leinster Toulouse. Or join the Prem Cup? Or some other link up? Just an idea!
Trying to forecast what Academy intakes might look like across the 4 provinces this coming summer, will take a stab here:
Leinster:
Currently have 23 players in the Academy.
Would expect Stephen Smyth (Y2), Andrew Sparrow (Y2), Conor O'Tighearnaigh (Y3), Josh Ericson (Y1*), Josh Kenny (Y1*), Oliver Coffey (Y2) & maybe Ruben Moloney (Y2) to migrate onto development deals; and would expect Liam Molony (Y3) & Henry McErlean (Y3) to be released.
That would leave Leinster with an Academy sized at 14 players roughly, and would leave room for a normal sized intake (6-8 players).
My predictions on what that intake will look like:
Very likely:
Others who might be on the cusp:
Of this group - I'd rate Noah Byrne as likeliest, and maybe Ben Blaney given we have a shortage of back rowers. Bernard White would be making the jump straight from school, which mightn't be necessary unless he has an offer elsewhere he's seriously considering. He seems a cert for the Academy 12 months from now though if not this year.
Donnacha McGuire probably only makes it if we cut someone else loose from the existing group (like Mahon Ronan), and Rian Handley, while talented is probably behind too much of a logjam at hooker. Could see him heading west or south though.
Prediction for Munster's Academy intake:
Currently have 18 players in the Academy.
It's already been confirmed Ben O'Connor, Sean Edogbo & Ronan Foxe will move onto development deals, and you'd have to figure Darragh McSweeney (Y4) and Dylan Hicks (Y3) are cut loose, and George Hadden (Y3) is probably another candidate to be cut loose given all three have never played for Munster. Not sure on Max Clein (Y3) - he, like the other three, is a Y3 player who has never played a competitive minute for Munster, but I believe he's more highly rated. He's probably another candidate to be cut loose though.
That would leave Munster with just 11 players in their Academy, and my prediction of an intake would be the following:
On the cusp:
I'd probably rate Hayes' chances highest of this crop, but could see Lautsou and Rowsome added. The absolute paucity of back three options (will be zero back three players in the academy after Ben O'Connor is promoted), coupled with the lack of real options in the underage sides, likely means Munster will target some of the Leinster players I've listed as on the cusp in the post above (they reportedly tried to sign Charlie Molony last summer), so potentially guys like:
I also think it's possible Munster might reach for one of the young Leinster hookers, so potentially one of:
I believe Alex Moloney - the highly talented PBC centre is only going into 6th Year, otherwise I'd have him on this list too.
Predictions for Ulster's Academy intake:
I know a lot less about this group, so happy to be corrected on guys I'm predicting.
Ulster currently have 20 players in their academy, of which 7 are Year 3 players who will either move up or move out. Of those 7, it seems unlikely three players in the back three all get contracts, so Aitzol King is probably cut, and I haven't seen enough of Ethan Graham or Lukas Kenny to have a view on either's chances for progression.
The two back rowers who are Y3s, Tom Brigg and Josh Stevens haven't made any impact for Ulster yet, and it's a relatively deep area for Ulster (with some good prospects coming in to the Academy as well), so both are potentially candidates to be cut. The other two Y3s are Henry Walker (hooker) and Jacob Boyd (prop).
If those 7 move (some up to dev contracts, some out), it would leave Ulster with 13 in the academy.
My predicted intake:
Richie Murphy is very plugged into the Leinster schools system, so always possible they lure more guys north like they have Briggs, De Klerk, Berman in recent years, but don't see any obvious areas of need particularly.
Last of the four, and the hardest one by far to predict, is Connacht's academy intake.
At the moment, Connacht have 17 players in their Academy. Four of those are Y3s, and it's already been confirmed Fiachna Barrett, Sean Naughton and Matthew Victory will move onto development deals. It seems likely the other Y3, James Nicholson, will get cut. Billy Bohan, a Y2, is also moving onto a development deal.
That would leave Connacht with 12 players in the Academy. If anyone else was to elevated prematurely, Sean Walsh is probably the likeliest candidate, and if anyone else is to be cut, Tomas Farthing is probably likeliest.
I'm not sure if I've missed another promising young Connacht prospect, but no one was springing to mind.
The Academy (post Barrett & Bohan's elevations particularly), will look very light at prop, so could potentially see Connacht targeting some young prospects elsewhere, including:
Also think the following guys are school leavers this year who Connacht might try to offer an academy place to, as opposed to entering sub-Academy in Leinster:
Finally, I think they will target some of the current U20s who potentially don't get academy offers elsewhere, including potentially:
Connacht's selection is by far and away the hardest to call.
There are 18 in the Connacht academy fyi, you may have missed Rourke O'Sullivan who was added in December after he finished school in SA.
Has Bohan been announced as being promoted? Seems overwhelmingly likely, but haven't see it confirmed yet.
Dara Walsh is very likely imo, Henson too.
Adam Cooper was brought into the sub academy from Leinster this season so may be in the mix. He played in that Eagles game vs Leinster which was reportedly an audition for the academy. Not sure if Rory Lyons is a consideration but given he's not long into his conversion to prop (played Ireland u18 as an 8 iirc) he might be given a shot. Charlie Keane will be there or thereabouts, has been playing Eagles since he was u19 and was brought in to Ireland u20 camp towards the end of the 6N I believe. Rory Gavin also played in that Eagles game vs Leinster and has started to feature in the AIL in the past few months but I don't know if he's particularly rated.
Jamie Bohan would seem like an obvious target from Leinster schools.
An outside pick for me is that one of the 2 Fallon boys from Marist/Buccaneers could get an academy spot, both are very raw athletic lads. The youngest has played in the backs and in the forwards. Neither have played for Ireland at underage.
Rian Handley would be a great addition just has the makeup of a senior pro. I assume Noah Byrne is going into the Leinster academy.
Sorry, you're right on Rourke O'Sullivan.
Think all of Jamie Bohan, Charlie Keane and Adam Cooper sound like logical calls. I don't know as much about Rory Lyons or Rory Gavin.
Not sure who you're talking about here?
There is no one named Fallon on the Marist team that won the senior cup this year or last year.
Ruairidh Fallon, now better known as a GAA player, plays for Roscommon and the All Ireland Club finalists St Brigid's this year, but he's around 23 or 24 now, and played underage for Connacht back in 2019/20.
Lyons and Gavin are unlikely, probably weren't worth mentioning. I was thrown a bit when I saw Gavin playing with the Eagles given I'd heard he had been cut, but we tend to be a bit stuck for second rows at that level.
Sorry yes you're correct it's Finnan not Fallon. John Finnan is the younger of the 2 brothers.
Is he a good footballer?
I saw him play u16 or similar for Buccs years ago after one of my own games, thought he was a cert to play for Connacht for sure, was disappointed in my talent ID skills when that didn't come to pass.
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