Tyler back in the groove

His career as a water carrier brought to an ignominious end by the arrival of defence coach JP Ferreira, Tyler Bleyendaal must content himself with a return to the day job, delighted to be free of the neck injury which had left him such a frustrated figure on the Munster sidelines.

Contrary to the word on the street around the province, the fly-half’s mid-season hiatus, which saw the 27-year-old absent from October to just 11 days ago, was not an ominous precursor to a dreaded retirement announcement, though Bleyendaal’s injury profile over the past three and a half seasons at Munster would forgive such speculation.

Rather it was simply a case of a player having to bide his time and wait for the all-clear.

Still, 18 weeks from the day he came off the pitch at Castres on October 15 to his return on February 17 at Cardiff Arms Park would try anybody’s patience and Bleyendaal was happy to have been put to work ferrying water and messages to his team-mates.

“I got sacked from that job after about four games! As soon as JP arrived, they gave me the cut,” Bleyendaal explained.

“Hopefully I don’t have to go back to that job this season.”

The Irish-qualified New Zealander is, though, happy to watch the current Six Nations campaign, and harbours hopes of playing Test rugby having been called into a pre-season camp to acclimatise with the Irish national team environment.

For now, he must concentrate on his comeback, which began with 19 minutes off the bench against Cardiff Blues before a first start and a 68- minute run last Friday in Cork as Munster secured the 21-10 win over Conference A leaders Glasgow Warriors.

It continues on Friday at in-form Edinburgh, with the March 31 Champions Cup quarter-final with Toulon at Thomond Park looming large.

“The body is great. I am just really excited to have a decent amount of minutes under my belt now. I am really happy to be back.

“I have been training fully since the first day after my injury. I have been out on the field every week. It’s just been managing that contact side of things.

“I feel like I have been involved that whole time I just haven’t been out on the field. It was great to take the extra step and contribute out on the field.”

The former New Zealand U20 captain, whose arrival in Ireland had been delayed by a serious neck injury at Canterbury, said he never feared his injury was a serious one and he was always confident he would play again this season.

“It was concerning when you are not playing but it wasn’t a long-term seriousness. It was just a case of taking the time needed to get it managed.

“The medical team here did a great job and the coaching staff, and we managed it well. I was out there pretty comfortable at the weekend.”

Toulon, Bleyendaal admitted, was “a massive target” before adding the focus was all about this weekend’s game.

“Edinburgh is a huge challenge and we know, we’re not oblivious to it, we know Toulon is coming down the track, but realistically it is a game plus a two-week break, plus another game away, so we have a lot to build on there.

“Guys get a chance to show themselves, guys get a chance to refresh and then that will be a new challenge that we are definitely aware of, as you say, but there are challenges before then as well that we need to take care of.”

Munster were yesterday refusing to comment on reports in English media that Sale Sharks full-back Mike Haley, 23, was set to join the province for next season as a replacement for the departing Simon Zebo.

Munster have already secured the services of squad members Andrew Conway and Stephen Fitzgerald for next season but the arrival of the Irish-qualified former England Saxon would be an exciting addition.

Haley is reported to be frustrated at his lack of gametime but has started 19 of his 24 appearances for Sale this season, scored two tries and beaten 30 defenders.