New Munster men urged to put hands up while internationals are away
Munster's Luca Cleary, Billy Burns, Brian Fitzgerald, Conor Ryan, Diarmuid Kilgallen and Tom Farrell after the pre-season friendly against Bath. Picture: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland
Munster’s new signings and fringe players have been urged to make hay while the internationals are away in the coming weeks as they prepare to face Gloucester in their final pre-season tune-up before the URC season kicks off in two weeks.
Four new signings – fly-half Billy Burns, centres Tom Farrell and Bryan Fitzgerald, and wing Diarmuid Kilgallen, all made their first appearances in last Saturday’s friendly loss at Bath while exciting new South African star Thaakir Abrahams looks set to make his at Cork’s Virgin Media Park this Friday night.
With a home interprovincial derby against Connacht at Thomond Park looming in URC round one at Thomond Park on September 21 and Munster’s contingent of Ireland internationals not due back in competitive action until at least round three at home to Ospreys in Cork on October 5, that leaves three more games to make an impression.
There will also be a premium on leadership qualities in the absence of the Test stars as well as the retirement of veteran wing Simon Zebo and departure to Leinster of double World Cup winner RG Snyman, while Joey Carbery and Antoine Frisch have both left for French clubs.
Mike Prendergast believes there will be no vacuum in that regard, particularly with Snyman’s Springbok ally and fellow lock Jean Kleyn and senior prop Dave Kilcoyne set to return from long-term injury absences, but the attack coach wants to see new leaders and characters step up to the plate for Munster in this early season window.
“This is their time now,” Prendergast said on Tuesday. “They’ve done a good pre-season, without it being too long, but you can see it on players that get up to speed.
“It’s a great opportunity for all of them and as a coaching staff we’ve done it in the past, we’ve picked the players we feel are putting their hands up and so there is that to go back on, because we’ve done it in the past two years. Even when you’re an international, it doesn’t mean you go straight into the team. It’s a great opportunity for them.
“Other characters come in and they bring their own bits and pieces with them as well. I’ve seen that through our new lads and a couple of the boys coming back like Jean Kleyn, like Killer (Kilcoyne), Edwin Edogbo in a couple of weeks or whenever, when you’ve those types of players and add in your internationals as well, and the new players, there’s an excitement about that.
“From an attack point of view, we’ve added depth and you can feel that outside (on the training field). When you’re looking around there’s a lot of quality there and that competition usually brings the best out of people.”
Prendergast elaborated on Monday’s squad update from Munster that revealed Kleyn, fellow lock Tom Ahern, and scrum-half Paddy Patterson were nearing returns to fitness.
Kleyn, 31, managed just one appearance last season on his return from South Africa’s World Cup triumph in France last autumn, suffering an eye injury against Leinster last November which led to a decision to undergo knee surgery on a pre-existing condition.
Patterson, 23, has been absent since January 1 after requiring surgery on a cruciate ligament in his knee, while Ahern, 24, sustained an ankle injury against in the final league of the season against Ulster in June and missed the end of season URC play-offs.
“We’re hoping over the next couple of weeks that Jean and Tom will be fit to start the season. Patsy will probably be a couple of weeks behind that, but it depends, he’s coming from a cruciate injury. He is flying it though, not a million miles away but the two boys will probably be back quicker.
“That’s good, just because of the quality of player that they are and they’re going to be fresh coming back in as well. Jean didn’t play barely at all last season but we know how valuable he is, our player of the year the season before. So a huge asset to come back, a World Cup winner, on top of the Irish internationals coming in, in a couple of weeks as well, and the lads who have been training away as well.
“It’s exciting, like every team at the start of the year and Killer isn’t too far behind either, another couple of weeks. These are international players so great to have them coming back in.
“Jean is a big part of what we do and it will be great to have him back.”
As for Abrahams, 25, a summer signing from Lyon, Prendergast added: “He’s here, let’s get him in. We only have two pre-season games so the league will come fast. So yes, there’s a high possibility we’ll look at him this week.
“Just looking at him, his footwork, he’s got X-factor, that’s the type of player he is…There’s an excitement around him.”
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