Joey Carbery has committed his long term future to Munster after signing a two year extension to his original 2 year deal which would have ended in June 2020. His commitment to signing a new deal has to be commended as many people may have assumed his the original deal would have been like an unofficial “loan deal” which would have seen him re join Leinster in 2020.
Leinster though have been proactive since he joined Munster bringing Ciaran Frawley into the senior set up and also with Ireland under 20s out half Harry Byrne waiting in the wings watching his brother Ross doing special things in the blue of Leinster and also the green of Ireland having been capped in November 2018. The rewards are there if you work hard enough and both Ciaran Frawley and Ross Byrne are putting in that graft.
Carbery will know that his performances have been scrutinised more closely since his move south and he has taken to the Munster 10 jersey like a duck to water performing very well against Exeter away and Gloucester away in January. Since then injury has intervened and he is still on course to return to the Munster 10 shirt against Edinburgh in BT Murrayfield on Saturday.
With Connacht’s Jack Carty getting capped during the Six Nations this year , Ireland are lining up a number of guys to challenge Jonathan Sexton and Joey Carbery will know his performance levels will need to stay on an upward curve if he is the fight off the genuine competition from Carty and Ross Byrne.
He has struck up a good rapport with Alby Mathewson and Conor Murray when he has been partnered by either of them. This has helped him gain confidence and if he is declared fit to be involved this week, it will be a major boost to Munster who will want to get to another semi final with the hope of progressing beyond that stage this season if they manage to get past Edinburgh then the fitness of Joey Carbery will be key to the success or failure of that particular goal.
Munster will of course now need to use the experience of Bleyendaal and Carbery to bring Bill Johnston and others like Jake Flannery and Ben Healy who were involved most recently with the successful Ireland under 20s side that won a Grand Slam on Welsh soil through to get capped at A or senior level over the next few seasons by Munster. Munster have a squad that should now be in a position to challenge for the major honors again after a few years of near misses and Joey Carbery will be key to making those dreams a reality….