Crowley blow for Ireland's summer tests down under
Jack Crowley will likely not be available for early part of internationals according to Munster head coach Clayton McMillan. Picture: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
JACK Crowley’s chances of playing a full part in Ireland’s Nations Championship campaign next month have been thrown into doubt by Clayton McMillan, but the Munster head coach says his provincial colleague Tadhg Beirne will be ready for next month’s Tests against Australia, Japan and New Zealand.
Speaking as Munster coaches wrapped up their post-season reviews, McMillan also addressed in an interview with the ongoing search for a world-class tighthead prop with the New Zealander revealing a move for All Black Tyrel Lomax after the 2027 World Cup was still possible, while current tightheads Oli Jager and Roman Salanoa were considering their futures due to their respective injuries.
Munster’s season ended without club captain Beirne (knee), fly-half Crowley (leg) and a host of others in a URC quarter-final loss at Bulls on May 30, and McMillan issued a mix of good and bad news for Andy Farrell a week out from the Ireland head coach’s tour squad announcement, with centre Tom Farrell recovering from a dislocated shoulder.
“Tadhg is back running, I don't anticipate he'll have any issues,” McMillan said regarding the lock/flanker’s prospects of representing Ireland this summer.
“Tom had a tidy up on his shoulder. He had an option, I think, to either take the conservative route, which is just a long rehab and hope for the best, or get some surgery, so he had a tidy up on that. He's actually bounced back really good. Whether he's ready to play or not at the moment, I suspect he's not.”
McMillan revealed Crowley’s issue, giving dead leg-like symptoms, had now been diagnosed.
“Jack, I don't anticipate he'll be involved in the early part of the internationals. He's got a blood vessel issue in the back of his leg, which is good that something's been identified. He's got a plan around how to manage that, but it literally is just a very obscure, unfortunate thing that was really hard to diagnose.
“He's got a diagnosis now, he has a plan around how to get it back, and I'm just not sure medically what the return to play protocols around that are. It's not like a concussion or a broken arm or leg, it's something that could literally solve itself overnight, or it might take a month or two. And that's not being cryptic, that's just the nature of what he's going through.”
Munster’s tighthead issues appear to be as pressing for McMillan as Crowley’s are for Ireland. John Ryan has retired, while question marks remain over Jager (concussion) and Salanoa, whose lengthy recovery from a knee injury hit a setback with a fresh hamstring issue last month.
“Roman picked up a training injury, which is obviously a concern because a lot of time and effort's been put into Roman. We have a huge amount of time for Roman as a person and his potential as a rugby player, but his inability to get out on the rugby field despite everyone's efforts is a bit of a concern, so that's something that we're talking to him with at the moment.
“And it's the same with Oli. He's just had enough concussions that the serious question needs to be asked around whether it's worth it. And look, if he comes to the decision that it's not, then he'd have the full support of anyone in this building.”
Munster are set to issue their departing players list on Friday while the province had made public its interest in signing Lomax, 30, only to see the Hurricanes prop sign new terms with New Zealand Rugby.
“The Tyrel thing, he had a very good offer put in front of him,” McMillan said. “I know Tyrel, I've coached him with Maori All Blacks, a quality human, world-class player. He's the sort of guy where our aspiration lies in terms of bringing in non-Irish qualified (NIQ) players.
“Our conversations with him are always centred around post-World Cup, not necessarily pre-World Cup… but I know New Zealand Rugby Union certainly came back to the party and I’m not surprised with Dave Rennie's appointment (as All Blacks head coach), of his ability to convince people of his calibre to hang around; he'd have a huge standing, I think, in New Zealand Rugby.
“But he's not out of the equation either. He would have a sabbatical (option) so we remain in contact. Nothing is set in stone but conversations were all very positive and we'll see what happens.
“But that won't stop us, it would be criminal of us to pull all of our eggs in that basket, we have to continue to explore. And in a pre-World Cup year world-class tightheads aren't dangling from trees. So we'll keep looking."
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