Jean Klyen has signed a deal to leave Munster after 10 seasons in red. He will be heading to join up with Gloucester next season. He has played for Munster over 160 times and will look to add to that before the end of the campaign.

Munster did offer terms but Gloucester have offered a better deal and will have the World Cup winner in harness for the 2026/2027 season.

Kleyn made his debut for Munster in the 2016/2017 campaign and went to the 2019 World Cup as a Irish squad member, eventually winning 5 caps before other players got ahead of him in the pecking order and with the new regulations around capping players by World Rugby.

He wasn’t capped by Ireland for a period of 3 years and so he was called up by South Africa and was an integral part of the squad that won the 2023 World Cup on French soil.

He didn’t really have many chances to play with RG Snyman during his time with Munster and he of course moved to play with Leinster at the beginning of last season. Kleyn has certainly helped develop the likes of Edwin Edogbo, Evan O Connell over the past while as injury ruled him out for large periods over the past few years.

Munster will look to promote from within but may also go into the market to see who might be available and looking for a fresh challenge to come and play there rugby with Munster in the URC. Munster is still an attractive proposition to lots of players.

Munster may look to bring in an non Irish qualified player as they have seen Snyman and now Kleyn leave for new challenges. Interesting times ahead now for Munster in their quest to bring in a replacement of equal quality to Kleyn.

Munster were last night beaten by Ulster in Belfast by 28-3. It was Ulster’s first win over Munster since 2024 after Munster did the double over them last season.

Ulster under Richie Murphy and Mark Sexton have kicked on and are playing some good flowing rugby but at times they do get caught between two stools and the results on those days has suggested that Ulster are going in the right direction but are still a work in progress. They are going well in both the league and in the Challenge Cup.

The resigning of Nathan Doak was a key signing as he has defiantly made strides forward this year and was capped by Ireland A back in November vs Spain suggesting he isn’t too far away from the main Irish squad.

Bryn Ward in particular showed his raw power and pace last night. He was key on occasion to keep Ulster on the front foot, he is of course is the son of Andy Ward who played for Ulster and Ireland in the late 90s and early 2000s and was also part of Ulster’s run to European glory in 1999 in Dublin when they beat Colomiers 21-6.

Munster for their part had no answer to Ulster power, precision and accuracy in attack in particular in the second half when they took the game away from Munster completely. Munster have lost both interpros over the Christmas and New Year Period and have 8 days to circle the wagons before going to face Toulon in the Champions Cup.

Since the Argentina game at the beginning of November, Munster have lost momentum and ground in both the league and in Europe. It started oh so well for Clayton Mc Millian winning his first 5 leagues games and then the slip started with Stormers at home giving up a 21-6 half time lead in Limerick and not kicking on.

The loss at Bath in the first round of the Champions Cup certainly exposed Munster’s deficiency’s up front in the front 5 in particular. They have some but not all the components to compete at the top end in Europe.

It will be a long second half of the season if Munster can’t stop the slide and the challenges don’t get smaller, only bigger and steeper now. The struggles at scrum time continue and were again exposed last night time and again.

Munster could potentially be without and John Hodnett and Alex Nankivell who both went off with knocks last night for the trip to Toulon next Sunday 1pm kick off. Munster have been in this position far too often over recent seasons for their own liking and will again have to go to the well in search of a big season defining performance.

The year is in danger of sliding into the “what could have been column” but the one thing Munster have is time and Clayton Mc Millian will earn his money over the next while.

He and his coaches will need to find solutions both in attack as well as defence because Munster have conceded far too many points in certain games, Denis Leamy has been here before and managed to find a few solutions and they are in the similar spot now so time again for Leamy and co to come up with long term lasting answers.

The Munster motto is “ Stand Up and Fight” well it’s time for the players to do just that and help turn the season around…..

I will try and select the squad I feel will be best placed to serve Ireland best in the upcoming 6 Nations that will commence on Thursday 5^th of February when Ireland go to Paris to play in the Stade De France.

Between here and now both injury and suspensions may play a role in who I select here making an impact on the 2026 campaign that begins in just over 1 months’ time. I will select an expanded squad of 41 players given that Ireland A will also take on England A in the same week as the French game.

Forwards –

Andrew Porter, Michael Milne, Jack Boyle – Loosehead

Dan Sheehan, Ronan Kelleher, Gus Mc Carthy – Hooker

Tadgh Furlong, Thomas Clarkson, Sam Wilson, Tom O Toole – Tight Head

Tadgh Beirne, Tom Ahern, Cormac Izuchukwu, Charlie Irvine, Darragh Murray, James Ryan – Lock

Jack Conan, Brian Gleeson, John Hodnett, Josh Van Der Flier, Josh Murphy, Cian Prendergast – Back Row/Number 8 22

Backs –

Craig Casey, Jamison Gibson Park, Ben Murphy, Neil Doak- Scrum Halves

Jack Crowley, Sam Predergast, Harry Byrne, Jack Murphy – Fly Half

Jude Postlethwaite, Dan Kelly, Hugh Gavin, Bundee Aki, Tom Farrell- Centre

Calvin Nash, Shane Daly, Finn Tracey, James Lowe, Tommy O Brien- Wing

Mike Haley, Jacob Stockdale, Mike Lowry – Full Back 21

Here is my attempt at picking a 41 man squad for the 6 Nations, of course as I mention injury or suspension could have an impact on this particular selection.

Ireland have issues at full back in particular. Interesting times ahead with another round of interpro games this weekend then followed by 2 weeks in Europe. It is all to play for every player hoping to wear green for the upcoming 6 Nations.

So it’s course set for Australia for 2027 after the draw was done this morning in Australia. The draw saw 24 teams enter the hat. Ireland have been drawn in Pool D and will face Scotland, Portugal and Uruguay in Pool play to see who will advance to a newly introduced round of 16.

It will be the third consecutive Rugby World Cup where Scotland will play Ireland having faced them in Japan in 2019 and in France in 2023. The path to make it to the final has been lined out for all 24 sides.

Ireland of course have an extremely poor record at World Cups, having failed to win a quarter final being beaten every time and of course famously in 1991, it took Michael Lynagh’s late intervention to deny Ireland a possible semi-final in Dublin after Gordan Hamilton has scampered clear to score a famous try.

Ireland will have two Six Nations to play in the next two years and will want performances to start going in the right direction over the next while. They are certainly a team that will go through a number of personal changes as father time is waiting for a few more senior members of the Irish squad.

Over the next few years, Andy Farrell will have to spread the net out and bring in some more fresh blood. We have had many A games since he took over and 2 tours of South Africa under the Emerging Ireland banner. It’s time for those players to be given more game time in green.

Ulster in particular have been going well so far this year and a few of those players will be pushing hard for inclusion in the 2026 6 Nations squad. Munster, Connacht and Leinster have also begun to kick on in the early part of this campaign and with Europe kicking off this weekend, it will be two rounds to again show Andy Farrell and his coaches of new and fresh options for the green jersey.

Ireland will be trying in 2027 to get the unwanted monkey off the back once again but for now the talk of 2027 will have to wait as the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup loom large on the horizon beginning on Friday night……

The Nations Cup has been confirmed and will begin in July of next year. It looks lovely wrapped up in a shiny bow and introduced with lovely work on social media. Unfortunately, it is another weak attempt at supposedly “growing the game” whatever the hell that truly means.

It is like a warmed up breakfast that no can quite stomach, it’s basically the same thing with a trophy at the end of it on finals weekend in London in November 2026. Fiji and Japan have managed to scrape in to be part of this so called party.

I have to say I am sick to death of Rugby Union trying and failing miserably at trying to grow the game. Let’s shake it up properly and introduce true jeopardy. Dispense with the traditional elements of the 6 Nations for a trial period of 3 years and bring in promotion and relegation. Give teams like Portugal, Georgia and others a real genuine incentive to improve. Do the same in the Rugby Championship.

This of course would have many people choking and gasping for breath. But It is high time that tradition was done away with and the status quo was put away and real change was seen in a sport that looks inwards for change all the time.

You always hear of tradition and respect within the game but it never happens. We are also in dire need of meaningful games for a large number of teams to “grow the game”, how about instead of the Nations Cup.

Give the so called weaker sides the yearly chance to play the likes of an New Zealand XV who have begun to tour regularly, an Ireland A team could face Portugal over a number of weeks. Let Georgia play a French A side and then travel on to play England A, Wales A etc.

If they want the big boys to meet as regularly as they seem to want them to, then do something to help the rest and don’t just pull the ladder up.

It was good enough in the early years of the professional game for “A” fixtures to have a place in the calendar. So much so that in 5/6 Nations had a “A” Championship that ran alongside the main Championship.

The under 20s has taken that role, but the whole idea can’t be just forgotten about. It has some merit and if applied correctly could easily be used to bring on these so called tier 2 teams.

Rugby is very small in comparison to other sports and should be doing all it can to help itself and not trying to destroy the small steps forward it takes on occasion. It really is time that World Rugby started to look at itself more clearly and using the international windows to better affect that they have been.

The Nations Cup is as an idea that could easily be used to better affect that just a rebrand in fancy wrapping. Globally rugby is in the small leagues and will stay that way but the governing body can do better in terms of marketing there product.

Rugby is apparently a game for all shapes and sizes so why oh why is the latest new-fangled idea just a warmed up poor attempt at a World Cup in disguise.

We hear about player welfare with great regularity but yet again this will be forgotten about as the season will be extended into almost another 12 month season. It’s all about alignment apparently to try and bring both seasons in line with each other but I can’t see that happening in the short term anyway.  

Let’s see how it unfolds in a year’s time before I condemn it any further….

Here I will select my 23 to face South Africa in the last international game of 2025. South Africa will come here as the reigning Rugby Championship winners as well as double World Champions from 2019 and 2023.

Here is the XV I would pick to face them on Saturday evening in Dublin,

15 Mack Hansen

14 Tommy O Brien

13 Garry Ringrose

12 Tom Farrell

11 James Lowe

10 Jack Crowley

9 Jamison Gibson Park

8 Jack Conan

7 Caelan Doris

6 Tadgh Beirne

5 James Ryan

4 Iain Henderson

3 Tadgh Furlong

2 Dan Sheehan

1 Andrew Porter

–

16 Ronan Kelleher

17 Jack Boyle

18 Thomas Clarkson

19 Ryan Baird

20 Nick Timoney

21 Craig Casey

22 Ciaran Frawley

23 Robbie Henshaw

Here is my attempt at picking a 23 to play South Africa. I realise it won’t happen but on the evidence of the past few weeks, I feel this is the 23 best placed to take them on. Knowing the way squads have been picked in recent times, nobody will come in from the cold to play in the final fixture.

 My reason for picking Frawley is his tackling ability. Sam Prendergast is still a work in progress on this front. Ireland are fortunate to have a number of 10s of varying quality that have all had a taste of international rugby over the last couple of years.

This out half debate will rage on but let’s try and pick on form and for the here and now and not for 2027…. As I say this 23 was picked having seen all 10s in particular over the course of the opening weeks of the club season.

My Team to face Australia :

Here is my attempt at picking the 23 to play Australia on Saturday night at 8pm in the Aviva Stadium.

15 Mack Hansen

14 Tommy O Brien

13 Tom Farrell

12 Stuart Mc Closkey

11 James Lowe

10 Jack Crowley

9 Jamison Gibson Park

8 Jack Conan

7 Nick Timoney

6 Caelan Doris

5 Ryan Baird

4 Tadgh Beirne

3 Tadgh Furlong

2 Dan Sheehan

1 Andrew Porter

–

16 Gus Mc Carthy

17 Jack Boyle

18 Thomas Clarkson

19 Cian Prendergast

20 Iain Henderson

21 Craig Casey

22 Sam Predergast

23 Jacob Stockdale

Here is the 23 I would select to face Australia. I used only the players selected in the original squad selected by Andy Farrell….

Ireland won’t have much time to look back on the defeat in Chicago on Saturday evening as they will have arrived back to Dublin yesterday and will soon begin preparations for the visit of Japan this weekend with a game in the Aviva Stadium kicking off at 12.40pm.

Several players who didn’t see action alongside some players who came on as subs will be used in the game on Saturday.

Andy Farrell has so much to ponder given the manner of the display in particular the 2^nd half where Ireland wilted in the final 20 minutes very reminiscent of the old days of the amateur era that also happened in the early years of the professional game.  The set piece is a major concern having been a vital cog in the Andy Farrell game plan over the first few years of his time in charge.

As well as fresh blood, the attack needs fresh impetus and that will be down to Andrew Goodman who has had the Irish attack under his tutelage for almost a year and we really need to see a move away from the attack that served Ireland well and some real innovation and not just a rehash of old moves.

Ireland have been found out a few times over the past year and even though the Championship was won in 2024, Ireland were badly exposed by France in early 2025 and now New Zealand at the set piece. There certainly will be renewed focus on the selection policy of Farrell. He has gone back to the tried and trusted many times and did so again for New Zealand bar the selection of Jack Crowley at 10.

Injury has robbed him of a few players but for the most part Irish teams have been picked on past form and this has cost them. Ireland were badly exposed on Saturday and you can be sure there other opponents this November will have noted that fact and will try and expose them in similar fashion in particular South Africa and Australia and to a lesser extent Japan given results over the last year.

Farrell and his coaches in particular Paul O Connell have plenty of food for thought and O Connell will have to work hard with the main squad as well as the players from the Ireland XV squad who will face Spain in a game on Saturday evening after the main squad have faced Japan early in the day.

The next few weeks are big for Ireland and for Andy Farrell’s ability as a coach, the pressure is on now after the loss in Chicago.

Andy Farrell will be the man to lead Ireland to Australia in 2027 but his selections will be under the microscope as well as the work of his other coaches because Ireland suffered in a number of aspects of the game this past weekend but in truth France and Georgia for 40 minutes last summer although with different personal put the Ireland set piece under real pressure and that continued on Saturday.

Farrell has plenty of credit in the bank but people will want to see change in attack and a functioning line out as well as getting back to basics at scrum time.

While the next 3 weeks will have an impact on the Pool Ireland find themselves in at the World Cup in 2027 as the draw takes place yet again 2 years out from the competition, other madness in itself but that is for another day.

Here is the 23 I would select to play Japan on Saturday :

15 Jamie Osbourne

14 Tommy O Brien

13 Tom Farrell

12 Stuart Mc Closkey

11 Jimmy O Brien

10 Jack Crowley

9 Craig Casey

8 Caelan Doris

7 Nick Timoney

6 Cian Predergast

5 Ryan Baird

4 Thomas Ahern

3 Thomas Clarkson

2 Gus Mc Carthy

1 Jack Boyle

–

16 Ronan Kelleher

17 Paddy Mc Carthy

18 Andrew Porter

19 Iain Henderson

20 Jack Conan

21 Caolin Blade

22 Ciaran Frawley

23 Jacob Stockdale

Ireland have selected the 23 to face New Zealand in Soldier Field Chicago. 9 years on from the first win against New Zealand, Ireland will be trying to repeat the dose. Andy Farrell is the man in charge now after being in charge of Ireland’s defence in 2016.

Jack Crowley’s early season form has been rewarded with the 10 jersey alongside Jamison Gibson Park, Stuart Mc Closkey has got the 12 shirt to partner Garry Ringrose. Ireland are beginning a tough November that will see Japan, Australia and South Africa come to Dublin.

The draw for the 2027 RWC will happen in December and the results from the next month will have an impact for Ireland’s seeding heading into the draw. Ireland won two games over the summer and put 100 points on Portugal in a non-event back in July.

They will be looking to change a few things up in terms of attack as well as defence in the next while. Andrew Goodman has had time with this group and we will hopefully begin to see small tweaks in how they will attack teams over the next while.

They will need to be adventurous in how they do that. No better test than New Zealand to see how any new ideas fair out in practice. Up front Ireland will also need to evolve to keep pace with teams like France and England who have made strides forward over the past year.

We saw some new talent get it’s chance over the summer and while the Portugal game was a mess the first 40 minutes vs Georgia showed that Ireland still have areas to look after in particular up front.

It is another chance to beat New Zealand who themselves have had more upheaval with Jason Holland saying he will leave the coaching set up at the end of November, if results don’t go the way Scott Robertson hopes he could easily be joining Jason Holland in looking for another job. The pressure on New Zealand to win games in November is immense.

They kick off against Ireland and will have memories of beating them in Dublin a year ago, 24-13. The result in Chicago back in 2016 was monumental and started a run that saw Ireland win a number of games against New Zealand in the past 9 years although the wins at the 2019 RWC and 2023 RWC still went to New Zealand.

Ireland did win a Test Series down in New Zealand in 2022 and that is a measure of where this group has gone to under Andy Farrell winning the Grand Slam in 2023 and the Six Nations in 2024 only being beaten by England late on in Twickenham.

With the draw for the RWC 2027 around the corner and with Andy Farrell back from his time away with the Lions, here’s hoping Ireland will start the new International year on the right note in Soldier Field.

Here is the 23 to face New Zealand in Chicago :

15 Jamie Osbourne

14 Tommy O Brien

13 Garry Ringrose

12 Stuart Mc Closkey

11 James Lowe

10 Jack Crowley

9 Jamison Gibson Park

8 Jack Conan

7 Josh Van Der Flier

6 Ryan Baird

5 Tadgh Beirne

4 James Ryan

3 Tadgh Furlong

2 Dan Sheehan

1 Andrew Porter

–

16 Ronan Kelleher

17 Paddy Mc Carthy

18 Finlay Bealham

19 Iain Henderson

20 Caelan Doris

21 Craig Casey

22 Sam Prendergast

23 Bundee Aki

Here is the XV I would select to face New Zealand in Chicago on Saturday week in Soldier Field including the men that have been called in due to injuries. Ireland will face New Zealand, Japan, Australia and South Africa before the Pool draw for the 2027 World Cup will take place in December of this year.

Here is the XV I would select for the game at 8.10pm on Saturday November 1^st live on Virgin Media for free to air coverage and TNT Sport.

15 Jamie Osbourne

14 Jacob Stockdale

13 Garry Ringrose

12 Tom Farrell

11 James Lowe

10 Jack Crowley

9 Jamison Gibson Park

8 Caelan Doris

7 Josh Van Der Flier

6 Cian Prendergast

5 Tadgh Beirne

4 James Ryan

3 Tadgh Furlong

2 Dan Sheehan

1 Andrew Porter

–

16 Ronan Kelleher

17 Jack Boyle

18 Thomas Clarkson

19 Thomas Ahern

20 Nick Timoney

21 Craig Casey

22 Sam Prendergast

23 Jimmy O Brien