The interpros in Limerick and Galway last Saturday gave the Irish rugby fan just what was needed in between Christmas and new year.
Individual skirmishes. Wincing physicality. And some quality scores.
There was far too much kicking, but that’s for World Rugby to sort out.
Jean Kleyn running over big Joe McCarthy was no small feat. This happened in the 70th minute with Leinster 10 points clear of Munster, and it finally cracked open an airtight defence – led all night by McCarthy, Caelan Doris and Josh van der Flier.
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Kleyn’s rumble created enough space for Jack Crowley to send Dan Kelly over for the try that gave Thomond Park a grandstand finish, which ended with players venting their frustration at the referee.
Munster versus Leinster should guarantee the appointment of experienced officials but I guess the IRFU see the fixture as an opportunity to expose a young ref to the next level.
But at what cost? Some players, sensing an opportunity, were in Peter Martin’s ear at every opportunity.
I used to do this. It can backfire as the referee gets flustered by constant chirping. A quiet word is the smarter play. Plant a seed.
Eoghan Cross did an impressive job whistling Connacht’s narrow loss at home to Ulster. Cross dampened the potential for several onfield referees by calling in both captains early on: “Everyone is screaming at me – I am not having it.”
Niggle is inevitable on these nights, but Cross controlled the game. If a ref does not lay down the law, the halfbacks will fill the gap and run it for them.
Stuart McCloskey versus Bundee Aki came to a head after half-time when both centres earned yellow cards. For years now, Stu and Bundee have been locked in a battle for Ireland’s 12 jersey with Robbie Henshaw. McCloskey was never going to take a backward step, nor was Aki.
Their enduring rivalry is as healthy a scenario as we could ever hope to see.
Same goes for Nick Timoney and Van der Flier at openside. If Ulster’s upturn in results under Richie Murphy continues, Timoney and McCloskey will come into contention for the Six Nations.
That said, Van der Flier and Aki will welcome the competition.
Interestingly, Ciarán Frawley is moving next season from Dublin to Galway, where he can expect to be installed as the Connacht 10.
It’s a massive coup for Stuart Lancaster. There was a moment after Ireland’s successful tour of South Africa in 2024 when Frawley was shaping into the starting 10. He kicked the drop goal to beat the Springboks and draw the series in South Africa and looked to be entering his prime.
From numerous “unit meetings” in Ireland camp, I know Ciarán is a smart footballer who understands the game. I hoped he would move straight away. Connacht could certainly use him this season.
The problem for Frawley at Leinster is two-fold: he has been cursed by injury and is seen as Mr Versatile. His ability to make an impact off the bench, whether he slots into outhalf, centre or at fullback, like last weekend in Limerick, has worked against him in terms of Ireland caps.
It now looks like Sam Prendergast and Harry Byrne are ahead of him when it comes to running the Leinster attack.
The move to Connacht is how the system should work. A bottleneck of outhalves at Leinster needed to be addressed. Ross Byrne, by joining Gloucester, cleared the way for Prendergast. This also offered Harry Byrne an opportunity to create three-way debate for Ireland selection.
Crowley at Munster, Byrne or Prendergast at Leinster and Frawley at Connacht is the spread of talent the system requires – the provinces are designed to produce four international calibre players in every position.
As the interpros organically address issues around national team selection, the next problem is the aerial tennis afflicting our sport.
Tadhg Beirne said it best, rugby has become a “set-piece and kicking game”. By penalising defenders who “shepherd” a player running towards and contesting high balls, the flow of each contest has suffered.
It’s an unintended consequence of World Rugby trying to make the game more attractive to watch. The coaches have done their job by manipulating the law to their benefit.
Somebody asked me, half-joking, to come out of retirement as kicking scrumhalves are in demand and I did spend years under Joe Schmidt testing the opposition wingers with aerial bombs.
When there is a 50-50 chance of retaining possession, 40m down field, why bother running into traffic?
Refs are punishing anyone who blocks an attacking winger as he targets dropping ball. That’s partly why we had the Dublin footballer Brian Fenton come into Ireland camp. Suddenly, breaking ball is just as valuable in rugby as it has always been in Gaelic football.
South Africa, with their dominant set piece, have turned territorial kicking into an art form and England always played this way. So, it will take a few more boring boot-to-ball spectacles – perhaps during the Six Nations – before the laws are tweaked again.
