Northern Edition
Select Edition
Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Kiwis still in demand at Munster... unlike at French rivals Toulon

Alby Mathewson, in action here in the red of Toulon against Bath, is being kept on at Munster until the end of the season (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Munster have delivered good news on Wednesday to two New Zealanders on their books. While the stock of Kiwis elsewhere in Europe, in particular at Toulon where Julian Savea has been savaged by the French club’s owner, has dramatically fallen this week, there are no such recriminations at the Irish province.

ADVERTISEMENT

Alby Mathewson only signed for the club last September as injury cover for the then injured Conor Murray. The former All Black had impressed when playing for Toulon at Thomond Park in last season’s Champions Cup quarter-finals and was snapped up on a short-term deal that has now been extended until the end of the current season. 

That is in recognition of the impact the 33-year-old is continuing to make at the club even though Murray has since returned to fitness and is now involved in Ireland’s Six Nations campaign.  

Meanwhile, Munster boss Johann van Graan would have been well within his rights to think long and hard about the value of keeping Tyler Bleyendaal on the books in Limerick. The out-out-half has endured a torrid time with injuries since arriving in Ireland for the 2014/15 season. 

Video Spacer

The former New Zealand under-20s World Cup winner has played just 48 times for Munster in nearly five seasons. However, now Irish qualified under World Rugby’s three-year residency rule, the club has decided to keep Bleyendaal on board by signing him to an extension through to June 2021. 

Extensions for Kiwis wasn’t the only bit of business Munster completed this week. Up-coming local tighthead Ciaran Parker is being upgraded this summer from a development to a senior contract and second row Sean O’Connor is taking up a one-year development deal after three years in the academy.

Elsewhere, teenage tighthead Keynan Knox, who was recruited from South Africa, has penned a three-year deal that includes one more season in the academy before promotion to senior status.

ADVERTISEMENT
Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT
Play Video

South Africa vs Black Ferns XV | Women's International | Full Match Replay

Play Video

Namibia vs United Arab Emirates | Asia/Africa Rugby World Cup Play-off | Full Match Replay

Play Video

Lions Share | Episode 5

Play Video

Classic Wallabies vs British & Irish Legends | First Match | Full Match Replay

Play Video

Did the Lions loosies get away with murder? And revisiting the Springboks lift | Whistle Watch

Play Video

The First Test, Visiting The Great Barrier Reef & Poetry with Pierre | Ep 6: The Ultimate Test

Play Video

KOKO Show | July 22nd | Full Throttle with Brisbane Test Review and Melbourne Preview

Play Video

New Zealand v South Africa | World Rugby U20 Championship | Extended Highlights

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Long Reads

Comments on RugbyPass

S
SK 26 minutes ago
'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

Having taken a 23-5 lead it was important to manage the game from there but Australia just couldnt do it. Conceding two tries before the break surrendering 12 points in the way they did was incredibly poor. The penalty for going in the side at the breakdown was just silly and allowed the Lions to get up field when 23-10 and some of the play in the 10 minutes before half time on defence was really not up to scratch. The Lions side has played in patches. They are not consistent and by no means have hit top form throughout this tour. When they have been in 5th gear the Aussies have had no answer and so it was the case in the last 20mins. The lack of game management comes directly down to an inexperienced backline, bad leadership, poor selection, a lack of killer instinct in a team desperately searching for gains against top opposition. They were underdone and should have had more warm up matches. The Wallabies spent the whole of last year improving the team and developing combinations to compete against the Lions. Schmidts selections has somehow seemingly countered his own preparation. After working so hard last year to improve the Wallabies have somehow come out like half-baked cookie, limp in most parts, crunchy in others but overall, an inconsistent texture and underwhelming taste that makes you wonder what could have been had you left it in for 5mins longer.

62 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Wallabies call in new coach just 12 hours after Lions series heartbreak Wallabies call in new coach 12 hours after Lions series loss