Munster Team Talk Thread - Beirne After Reading

I think the exact opposite is true. Fair weather fans are the life blood of rugby in Ireland. There is a huge appetite for the international game - 50% of the most watched TV in 2025 was Ireland games.

There are people watching it who haven't a clue about the laws of the game. But they know who Bundee is, because he is a Kiwi of Samoan heritage, and they know that Doris is from Mayo but went to school in Dublin, and that Furlong is from Wexford and didn't go to private school. It's all this wishy washy stuff that is only partly relevant/interesting to real rugby fans. But it's this stuff that creates the interest in the international game.

There will only ever be a relatively small number of hard core fans but we need to make our provincial teams as enticing to watch for the fair weather fan as the national team is. Professional sport is in the business of entertainment - bums on seats is the objective.

There is a huge appetite for it because it is the only international team sport we are competitive at.

Never really understood the logic behind not being able to promote and improve the schools game in munster because they dont have the private schools. Is rugby played seriously for example in any of the Tralee schools there's one school there has bigger pupil numbers than the majority of Dublin private schools. Maybe a mixed school but still.

JJ Hanrahan, Tom & Mick Doyle, mick Galwey, Ultan Dillane and a few of the top female players are all from Kerry. If Kerry was producing test Lions in the 60s and 70s I’m not sure why it’s a graveyard for rugby today.

I know, very hard to break into an established school but hurling has broken into CBC a rugby school. In theory if Munster pushed it could rugby break into a DLS Waterford for example, big enough for Harty and Schools rugby maybe. Or else look at a big school with no competion. For example Carrigaline Comm school, huge school no harty cup, so if Munster identifed a school like this could they get a decent rugby programme going within 10 years.

All in theory I know.

I just feel soemtimes Munster take the easy option, blame the lack of private school, blame hurling etc. Munster need to help themselves first

u make some great points! I know it’s great to see clubs doing better, producing more players etc

but and I know you won’t like this and you will rip this to shreds

More recently it is rugby schools and private schools that are producing the elite internationals, Munster clubs have produced say butler an Coughlan from Ennis, fine players but will never be internationals

The edogbos might make it as constitent internationals

but even in Munster the elite players like Jack Crowley, Casey, POM, Murray came from rugby schools or private schools. Is this where the focus should be? I know Munster can’t make private schools. But could they help get a bit school like DLS Waterford or say carrigaline school up to A level, I’m convinced then there would be more players produced

I know both cases would be incredibly hard thing to do to them at a a level of A schools, but maybe Munster should have been doing this more over the last 20 years??

ya I agree with a lot of what you say!
there is a huge opportunity for people from Easter European, African background to play rugby but they will come through the youths not private schools, for most cases anyway

I just feel that the standard of player in the rugby schools is still higher in most cases

as for waterpark, what are they division2 junior, they can’t keep players anyway, how do you know an A school would damage the club perhaps it could help the club. This is all conjecture anyway I know.

Just reading other forums, it perked my interest a bit.

Not to knock on Waterford or Waterpark RFC or anyone, reading other threads it got me thinking!

How come say Enniscorthy or Tullamore can make it to the AIL? Surely they lose players for college also??

The reason why I was thinking of Waterford was, its a big urban area, 3rd in Munster with a big catchment area.

No AIL rugby between Enniscorthy and Midleton, 2 hr drive, def an opportunity here.

For example if there was an A school in the city, you would drag in more players Dungarvan, Carrick, Wexford, Kilkenny to play schools rugby. It has a bit of status to it. Would promote an highlight players more, maybe improve S&C, if Tom Ahern had come through the schools set up maybe he would have ha less injuries earlier in his career!

I dunno all silly talk I guess, well never happen!

Renewals dont open until tomorrow at 10am?