Carbery's Munster move a litmus test for the IRFU

Something just doesn’t sit right about rugby in August.

World Cup years? Okay, fine. And we’ll obviously give a pass to our friends on the far side of the equator. August for them is prime time. A month in which the Super Rugby campaign reaches full bloom with the grand finale before the first seeds of the Rugby Championship are sown. Other than that? No. Just ... no.

Like Brown Thomas opening their Christmas stores in Dublin, Cork and Limerick last week, it feels like a two-fingered salute to the concept of summer’s circadian rhythms when we find ourselves scanning the sports pages for news of Munster’s meetings with London Irish and Exeter Chiefs. Or an update on Leinster’s pre-season trip to Montauban.