CARBERY SIGNALS NEW ERA OF HOPE FOR REDS
Out-half to make debut with the talent to lift trophy-starved Munster
AT some point of this afternoon’s Pro14 clash in Thomond Park, most likely a quarter of the way through the second half, a sideline official will hold up the number 22 to indicate Joey Carbery is about to enter the contest.
This action is guaranteed to be greeted by enthusiastic applause and cheering from the home supporters, along with the hum of excited chatter you would expect to greet the introduction of Munster’s most anticipated signing since Doug Howlett.
There have been other notable captures in the 10 years since the legendary All Black first togged out for the province but none who have engendered comparable levels of excitement and hope amongst the now, long-suffering, fans.
And with good reason. Munster’s issues at out-half since the retirement of Ronan O’Gara in 2013 have coincided with a trophy drought that reaches back seven years to the 2011 Celtic League title and Carbery has the presence and talent to lift Johann van Graan’s side to the point where they can challenge Leinster again as Ireland’s premier province and win trophies.
That is why the supporters are so keen to see what he can do — while, naturally, the sense of anticipation is heightened by a degree of cheeky exultation at getting one over on their neighbours, Carbery having been developed for years at Leinster before arriving to aid their rivals.
The broader theme today, and for the rest of the season, will be charting the out-half’s progress with an eye to next year’s World Cup and his designated role as back-up to Johnny Sexton and there are other Munster players starting this evening who have aspirations for Japan 2019.
For example, this is a huge season for Rory Scannell. Down the pecking order at 12 behind Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki, Scannell’s case is interesting because of the variation he brings with him.
While Henshaw, Aki and another contender, Stuart McCloskey, adhere largely to the template of big, ultra-physical, crash-balling inside centres, Scannell is a different sort of beast — a footballing 12 who likes to operate as a secondary playmaker, with the best kicking game of any of the rival centres.
Those qualities would make the Corkman an extremely useful option to have in the World Cup squad as would the fact he also covers out-half, having spent the majority of his early career at 10. Scannell has plenty to play for in this campaign.
Others anxious to make a favourable impression today as the jostling for World Cup places gets underway include props Dave Kilcoyne and John Ryan, fit-again openside Tommy O’Donnell, winger Darren Sweetnam and the highly-rated centre Sam Arnold, on the bench alongside Carbery.
In addition, the performance of new full-back Mike Haley will be noted with interest, given that the former Sale 15 is Irish qualified and touted as a speed merchant, which is always a good starting point.
It all adds a dash of spice to a relatively low-key Pro14 opener against the Cheetahs and, while there will be hordes of Munster fans anxious to record how Carbery goes on debut, not too many might be present in Thomond Park to see it in person.
The Bloemfontein side preformed creditably following their introduction to the league last season, far better than their South African brethren, the Southern Kings.
Making the knock-out stages at the first attempt was a decent effort by the Cheetahs but the downside was that their shiniest cherries were then picked off by European sides offering salaries far in excess of those available on the highveld.
Top performers like Johan Goosen, Francois Venter, Uzair Cassierm and Tom Botha are gone, along with a clutch of others, and the raft of young locals brought in as replacements leaves the squad a little over-loaded with the wide-eyed and low on the gnarled.
Scannell has qualities that would make him very useful to Ireland at the World Cup, he has plenty to play for...
As evidenced in the side selected by head coach Franco Smith to face Munster today, which features no less than seven rookies. Two players worth keeping an eye on are second row JP Du Preez, who will be hard to miss at 6ft11in, and monster munchkin prop Ox Nche (5ft8in, 18stone), who is on Rassie Erasmus’s Springbok radar for the World Cup.
Smith, who grew up around Bloemfontein, has been around the block (from Bologna to Newport) over a long career as player and coach and is hugely invested in this project, having left behind his role as Springboks attack coach to focus fully on the Cheetahs.
The former Springbok out-half knows the extent of the challenge he has taken on and is attempting to temper expectations accordingly.
‘We are realistic. We know we have to stick to the process and try to adapt as quickly as possible to the required tempo and intensity,’ said Smith.
‘We have a huge task ahead of us with new players who joined the squad and we want to make South Africa and PRO14 proud.’
Noble sentiments but Munster cannot afford to harbour too much sympathy for the visitors today — as captain Peter O’Mahony noted last season, one that featured two more semi-final defeats, the province has done enough lesson-learning and now needs to produce.
If Carbery produces during his cameo today, all the better.