Edogbo elevations help lift Munster mood ahead of Dragons visit

DEBUT: Sean Edogbo will make his Munster debut against Dragons as he hopes to follow in his brothers Edwin's footsteps as he ascends into the Irish squad. Picture: INPHO/Tom O’Hanlon

Right now, Munster can do with all the positive vibes they can generate after last week’s defeat to Castres in Thomond Park and the Champions Cup exit it precipitated. Thankfully, then, some of the mood music has improved.

Eight of their players were selected for Andy Farrell’s Six Nations squad on Wednesday. That’s a 100% increase on their November input and, if some owe their elevation to injury misfortunes elsewhere, then Clayton McMillan isn’t letting that dampen spirits.

“It may well be that there's a few guys that are in there as benefactors of other people that are injured, but it also represents an opportunity for them to go in and have a foot in the door and make a make a big impression, and show that perhaps the margins up between them and those that are that are injured are not that great.

“It's good recognition for the team to understand that when the team does well, individuals prosper. And I know we can argue till the cows come home around the success or not of our season to date, but we've done enough to show progress and for individuals to shine at times. And [that] we can get more people in that team.” 

Among that eight is the 23-year old second row and Cobh Pirates product Edwin Edogbo who is even being tipped to make his Test debut off the bench against France in the Stade de France in under two weeks’ time.

The player, who had to let a November call-up from Farrell pass him by after a head injury, actually presented with symptoms after that Castres game. Currently going through HIA protocols, McMillan dismissed any concerns about his national duties to come.

Ever the straight-talker, the Munster head coach made the point that you can never be sure how any player takes to Test rugby, but he has seen enough of Edogbo, and knows enough of his resilience through past injury issues, to think he’s able for it.

“I'm 100% confident in his ability.” 

The older of the Edogbos, he said, is still a work in progress but McMillan sees “something pretty special being unearthed or starting to realize its potential” and it’s obvious that his Ireland counterpart is in full agreement.

What luck for McMillan then that another Edogbo, a back row as opposed to a lock, has pulled up at the rank with 21-year old Sean set for a provincial senior debut on Friday evening against the visiting Dragons in Virgin Media Park.

“He's not quite as big a lump as Edwin is,” said the Kiwi coach. “He's a little shorter and perhaps [has] a little bit more acceleration in this game. He's just a different profile of athlete, but we're really excited about his potential.” 

Sean Edogbo was primed for a debut before now but, as with his brother, injuries had other ideas. Now he starts alongside Ruadhan Quinn and Brian Gleeson and their boss is excited by the package’s combined youth and explosiveness.

Munster have made eight changes to the side that fell short of Castres last Saturday. Alex Kendellen (ankle), John Hodnett (thumb), Edwin Edogbo (failed HIA post-match on Saturday), Tom Ahern (neck) and Calvin Nash (neck/shoulder) are all unavailable.

McMillan was vague about Ahern, one of those eight called up by Ireland, describing his neck issue as a day-by-day situation. Others absent in Cork for this URC are Tadhg Beirne, Jack Crowley, Craig Casey or Tom Farrell as they focus on Ireland.

The last time the province had to make do without their Test-player core was in Belfast against Ulster two days into the New Year. The result was an insipid performance that left everyone navel-gazing long before their European disappointments.

McMillan, as he must, sounded confident about the prospects of Munster atoning for that this time having been “missing” three weeks’ ago. They face a Dragons side showing signs of life under Filo Tiatia who he knows well from New Zealand.

"[There is] recognition of the fact that others aren't in the building and there's a responsibility on our leaders in particular to step up and lead the way through how they train, how they prepare for the game, and what we see on game day. A lot of pressure has been put on our leadership group to really stand up.

"There's a good number that are in our group that aren't in the international [squad] so it's not like we have a shortage of people available to lead. It's just really their ability to lead and understand that… We've got a good young group and they'll follow the direction that they provide if it's sound.” 

MUNSTER: M Haley; T Abrahams, D Kelly, A Nankivell, S Daly; JJ Hanrahan, E Coughlan; J Loughman, D Barron, M Ala’alatoa; J Kleyn, F Wycherley; S Edogbo, R Quinn, B Gleeson.

Replacements: L Barron, J Wycherley, O Jager, E O’Connell, G Coombes, P Patterson, T Butler, T Kilgallen.

DRAGONS: A O’Brien; D Richards, F Inisi, A Owen, R Dyer; T de Beer, C Hope; R Martinez, B Coghlan, R Hunt, L Douglas, B Carter; H Keddie, H Beddall, A Wainwright 

Replacements: O Burrows, J Morris, C Dlamini, S Davies, S Lewis-Hughes, R Williams, H Ackerman, C Evans.

Referee: H Davidson (SRU).