The latest couple rounds of interpro offered some very interesting talking points, can Ulster turn it around after a galvanising win in Galway, are Connacht harshly treated by officials and is the gap widening between Leinster and the other three provinces.
This all came after Leinster were the comfortable, bonus point winners at Thomond Park as they extended their unbeaten start to the season to 11 wins from 11 while playing two rotated squads in their matches against Connacht and Munster.
This post-Autumn Nations Series window has also seen the rise of Sam Prendergast's influence at Leinster. The youngster has cemented his name onto the 10 jersey for Leinster and has been pivotal in Leinster's unbeaten run, winning multiple player of the match awards including in the derby against Munster.
He won that award after another stellar display but many fans were frustrated that his Ireland teammate Jack Crowley was left out of the interpro. The IRFU have told all the provinces that certain players can only play one of the two games in this interpro window in order to give players vital rest heading into the new year and the Six Nations in February, Munster chose to play Crowley against Ulster up in Ravenhill and it was a shrewd decision as they came home from Belfast with a crucial win.
Gordon D'Arcy Calls Out Outdated IRFU Policy
However Jack Crowley's absence on top of the injury crisis meant that Munster needed a near miracle to beat a Leinster team boasting over a dozen internationals. It meant that the biggest club game for the season was nothing more than a damp squib and not the back-and-forth encounter we have seen in the past.
The IRFU's strict rules have caught the ire of many fans recently and writing in his column for the Irish Times, Gordon D'Arcy wrote about Crowley missing out on the Leinster match and how the IRFU's current player management structure may be behind the times.
That said, there are questions around Jack Crowley not playing at 10 with the injuries around the Munster scrumhalf position suggesting an exemptions should have been made, especially with no match this week and an opportunity for both Irish outhalves, Crowley and Prendergast, going head-to-head. While there is no guarantee that Crowley would have changed the result, Munster are a more organised team when he starts.
The URC is doing everything right to promote the best matches and the Irish player management system is envied around the world. However, it was designed 20 years ago, when I was playing, and hasn't evolved much since then.
D'Arcy wasn't alone among ex-pros with this sentiment as on the day of Munster-Leinster ex-England International Andy Goode took to Twitter to call out the IRFU as well for "blocking" Crowley from playing against Leinster, though it was Munster's choice to field Crowley against Ulster and not Leinster.
So the IRFU have made Jack Crowley rest tonight for Munster against Leinster where he would be coming up against Sam Pendergast, the man who took the Ireland 10 jersey off him?! Work that one out, it absolutely stinks
— Andy Goode (@AndyGoode10) December 27, 2024
Rugby does need to do a better job at selling the club game and having Crowley v Prendergast would've been a marquee matchup that would've had fans salivating in the days leading up to it had Crowley started. However players are playing more physical games these days and rest is crucial if they are to have in any way a long and successful career.
As Gordon D'Arcy said the IRFU player management system is envied by others, it gives players the best chance to play for a long time while hopefully peaking when they play in green for Ireland. On the other hand the constant restrictions that are put in place are now a huge frustration for provincial fans who see their star players run out for their province less and less.
With Leinster looking like they are running ahead of the other 3 provinces with their incredible squad depth and ability to churn out high quality academy players, Munster, Ulster and Connacht need their Internationals more than ever if they are to compete in both Europe and URC. Something needs to change if the other three provinces are to catch up to Leinster.
