Development Pathways

There's stretching, and there's stretching.

Barron and McElroy have virtually the same number of minutes this season, which is the square root of **** all between them. Sheehan and Kelleher are clearly the #1&2, McKee is next in line, and then there's the rest. Suggesting McElroy was signed to fill the gap left by Tracy is absolutely bizarre.

This site has minutes per player for every team in the league mapped out, so you can see at a glance how rubbish Munster are at bringing through youth:

https://www.cardiffrfcfans.com/analysis/4779.php?seasonID=28&clubID=16

It's not bizarre, he was re-signed in February to finish out the season. It just shows the point that Leinster will do what they need to do to stock up where they need, such as sign already developed payers. Munster do the same but need more players to supplement what they can produce. They are completely different clubs. What's bizarre is trying to equate the two clubs and pontificating about how Munster should be more like Leinster.

A guy making his own independent decision to move to Dublin for college and playing AIL (i.e., complete happenstance) is no different to Munster signing players to supplement what they need.

Ok.

What's your gripe with Munster? You are fixated on Munster being bad.

I think it would be best if you just made your point and left it at that.

@[Deleted User] tagging since my quote didn't work for some reason.

To be fair, there is a minor difference between the Whycherleys, who were always a part of the Munster system but just went to a Leinster school - compared to say Oliver Boyle or Illo who went through the Leinster sub-academy and age grade set ups and then moved provinces at the Academy stage.

Izuchukwu was also never a part of the Leinster underage set up as far as I am aware - although I am open to correction in that regard.

And thanks for the reply on the NIQ players above - credit where it's due, that's a consistent opinion.

OK seeing as you won't make your point, I can only assume it is this unless you wish to clarify,

Your point seems to be that Munster don't select academy players when there are injuries to senior players and instead sign mediocre players to fill gaps.

So the examples this season of Edogbo, Campbell, Donnelly, Quinn and Hurley all getting decent exposure, as well as recently graduated players such as Ahern, J Wycherley, Buckley, Kendellen, Patterson, Crowley, Healy being trusted, should lay those concerns to rest. Also worth mentioning Barron, Casey, Knox and Hodnett all being trusted and still only around 24.

Under the current management a lot is being done, players seem to be coming through more often, and they are getting game time.

So I can only assume the gripe is about Munster of previous seasons, so it's a pointless discussion serving only to whip a dead horse, for what gain? To make Leinster supporters feel smug and superior? I think this thread has ran its course by now.

I'd argue its pointless including the SA tour where Leinster left around 25 senior players in Ireland, compared to Munster needing to go full bore to ensure a Champions Cup position.

How would the numbers compare if not including the final two rounds of the URC?