Old teammate, new threat: Joey Carbery adds some spice to Munster quarter-final

“Joey will know us inside out. He’s worked with pretty much everyone in the building," said Munster defence coach Denis Leamy. 

Joey Carbery made his 12th start of the season for Bordeaux-Begles in their Champions Cup last-16 victory over Ulster. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

The problem with reunions is the baggage that comes with them and Denis Leamy knows Joey Carbery will bring an awful lot of knowledge from his six years at Munster to Bordeaux-Begles’ table ahead of Saturday’s Champions Cup quarter-final.

Carbery left the province and hopes of an Ireland recall in search of a fresh opportunity last summer and looks to have been rewarded in spades with more game time as the fulcrum of one of club rugby’s most exciting backlines than many imagined he would get in a squad featuring Matthieu Jalibert as a positional rival.