ROG raises bar for Munster players

Munster’s players must beat Leinster, win silverware and be 30% better than the incumbents to force Ireland coach Joe Schmidt to pick them, according to Ronan O’Gara.

Just Paul O’Connell, Conor Murray and Peter O’Mahony from the Munster camp have been used by the former Leinster head coach in Ireland’s three Six Nations games so far. When O’Gara lined out against Italy in 2010 he had provincial colleagues in Tomás O’Leary, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes, Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell and David Wallace alongside him. However the Six Nations record points scorer believes Munster have got to prove their ability to a man who does not know them as intimately as the starting players.

“I think Keith Earls when he’s fit will be in there,” he said at yesterday’s Irish Examiner sports breakfast.