Munster want 'big name' star but IRFU policy making recruitment difficult

Having retained their own marquee players this year Munster are still eager to recruit a top-level foreign player who can make a “big impact”. But a former Ireland international believes the province's hands are being tied by IRFU policy.

John Kelly, the former Ireland winger, now sits on the province’s Professional Game Board (PGB) and in an interview published on Munster’s website he underlined that retaining Conor Murray, Keith Earls and Zebo is seen as a huge success even if supporters are eager to see fresh talent brought in from the outside.

However, despite legal concerns raised three years ago about the IRFU’s proposal to restrict Non Irish Qualified (NIQ) players to just one per position across all four provinces, Kelly acknowledged that the policy was in place and as a result Munster’s hands have been tied when it comes to recruitment.