Munster head coach hopeful Brian Gleeson will get Ireland recognition

Clayton McMillan said Munster are 'desperate' to get more players from the province involved with the Ireland squad

Munster number 8 Brian Gleeson scored his side's opening try of the Champions Cup victory over Racing 92. Pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

The sight of Jack Conan leaving the field at Clermont’s Stade Marcel-Michelin on Saturday afternoon could well open the door for Munster’s Brian Gleeson’s rising talent to be recognised with Ireland recognition this week. 

National head coach Andy Farrell is set to name his Nations Championship squad for the November internationals against Argentina, Fiji and South Africa this Wednesday and with fly-half Jack Crowley, centre Tom Farrell, wing Calvin Nash, loosehead prop Michael Milne and lock Edwin Edogbo all sidelined by injury, Munster may have as few as three players called up by Ireland for next month, captain and lock/flanker Tadhg Beirne, scrum-half Craig Casey and loosehead prop Jeremy Loughman.

Munster head coach Clayton McMillan is optimistic, however, that uncapped No.8 Gleeson could find his way into the group of back-rowers Farrell selects for camp.

"He got a bit of a sniff in there on the back of a couple of decent performances (last season),” McMillan said. “You'd like to think so.

“We're desperate to get a few bodies in there and the only way we're going to do that is by putting in performances that actually draw the attention of selectors and earn their start and force them to take a bit of a deeper look, so it's a quality (Ireland) team and it's not easy to get into it and it shouldn't be easy to get into it.

“All we can do is control how we prepare and perform. Other people will decide that.” 

With captain and first-choice No.8 Caelan Doris definitely ruled out for November, Leinster team-mate Conan’s shoulder injury during the 48-23 win at Clermont Auvergne will be a major concern for Farrell, who started him in two of Ireland's three summer Tests Down Under. 

Connacht’s Sean Jansen could be in pole position for promotion to the starting back row when Ireland open their account against the Pumas on Friday, November 6. The 27-year-old started at No.8 against Japan in Newcastle, Australia during the summer and was the back-row replacement against the All Blacks at Eden Park. Provincial team-mate Cian Prendergast looks certain to feature, as does Ulster young gun Bryn Ward but Gleeson, 22, laid down his marker in Cork on Saturday night with the opening try in a 33-25 win over Racing 92.

Wearing the number 24 on his back after Munster retired their No.8 jersey for the night to honour the late Anthony Foley, Gleeson launched himself off the base of the pack at a five-metre scrum to power over the Racing line, earning the praise of his head coach.

"He's explosive, particularly off the back of the scrum,” McMillan said. “We should probably use him a little bit more. And it was nice to see him get over. It was a fairly poignant moment.”