Take one player from each province

Connacht supporter, going to take this way too seriously as I'm avoiding work. Taking the liberty of assuming that the signing will be for the rest of player's career, rather than a single contract. Going to prioritise younger players with the idea that they will enter their prime around the same time as what I am hoping is already a strong crop of players in their early twenties; Tierney-Martin, Illo, Aungier, the Murrays, Prendergast, McCormack, Devine, Forde, Hawkshaw, Jennings, Mullins, etc.

Leinster: Joe McCarthy. Irish qualified tighthead locks are hard to come by, we could be a long time waiting to develop one ourselves and I don't want to see Niall Murray bulking up to the point he loses some of his natural athleticism.

Munster: Jack Crowley. Backing him to become a key man at 10 for the better part of a decade, with both Forde and Hawkshaw looking more like 12s thus far for me. Was tempted to go with Edogbo and Harry Byrne but choosing Crowley as he seems quite durable thus far.

Ulster: Would have preferred a loosehead or no. 8 but none of the options take my fancy, so going with Tom Stewart. Hooker is a tricky position but he looks very much like a future international. Could form a good combination with Tierney-Martin.

Obviously risky going with relatively unproven players but my logic is that even with 3 top class internationals added to the current squad we are not likely to win anything, so I'm gambling that something like the following could be a genuine European contender in 5 years:

Dooley, Stewart, Illo, N Murray, McCarthy, Prendergast, McCormack, Boyle, Devine, Crowley, Hansen, Hawkshaw, Ralston, Jennings, Mullins

@Jump_In_Jack

Leinster - nobody (Don't rate the young crop, and wouldn't think any of the senior players would buy into the Munster spirit)

I'm non aligned Irish fan and generally support the weaker provinces in derbies, though I'm from Leinster and 'follow' them due to their success. But I've one foot in Munster family wise. Anyhow, I have no idea what the "Munster spirit' is, as opposed to the spirit of any other pro team and it's idiosyncratic culture and history. Lot's of Leinster players have thrived in Munster, plus loads of guys from abroad, maybe it's just a troll but I am interested in this 'Munster mind' that was explained as 'pashun' in the days when the team was successful. What is so unknowable that Leinster players wouldn't get it?

From the responses it is clear that Beirne basks in the admiration of fans across the island, but his popularity is such that it spoils the exercise a little as regards Munster. It would be interesting to run the same survey but on uncapped players, or those under 23/25.

Another wrinkle is that Connacht and Munster both have clear gaps in their current squads, so the picks are guided to a great extent by need. For example, it's notable that only person selected JVDF, presumably because 7s are strong across the provinces, whereas top level front rows are in short supply.

We have better players in Ahern and Edogbo anyway. Don't rate McCarthy personally, he's too indisciplined. He might improve, he's still young.

Interesting but actually not super hard for ulster from my POV.

Munster: Sam Carter for Edogbo, or Burns for Crowley

Leinster: Sam Carter for Joe McCarthy

Connacht: this one is tougher… Rea for Prendergast.

I think some munster fans have been burned by some leinster guys who under performed and taken the extreme wrong lesson from it.

I think those teams are a good indicator of what I’m seeing. Leinster have tons of young talent but not as good as previous crop and less obviously elite guys.

Those are way more equal teams than they would have been 3 years ago if you did the same exercise.

The thing that i noticed recently is that for the first time in a long time, if i was asked to take the top 5 under 23 from any province… I’d choose munster.

This might mean something or it might not. The next leinster intake could have 3 elite guys.

From Munster?

Crowley, Casey, Ahern, Edogbo, Hodnett/Kendellan

I personally love hodnett but i realize that kendellan is more highly rated.

23 or under.