IRFU lowering the NIE number for next season

First topic message reminder :

NIE - Non Irish Eligible

Reported today in various media that the Irish provinces will be allowed 1 less foreigner from next season. The maximum next season will be 4 for Leinster, Ulster and Munster. Connacht will still remain outside those rules.

geoff999rugby wrote:You are spot on Notch - he was still a blow in in terms of joining the Union game and a unsuccessful one at that.
Should have been nowhere near the squad terrible decision.

In other news I see Nacewa is going to play again for Leinster next year

Brian Carney went to school in Clongowes, so he wasn't unfamiliar with Rugby Union. He also played for Lansdowne when he was in College. He only started playing League by accident around then and would be regarded as one of the greats of Rugby League (representing GB).

Carney left it a bit late to come back to rugby. He was doing well with Munster - Doug Howlett arrrived and that is when he decided give it up. Paul Kimmage wrote that he is one of the most interesting interviewees he has had (and he has had a few)!

Bowe has said himself that not being selected for that world cup gave him the kick up the yard that he needed at that time.

geoff998rugby wrote:Reposting from another thread to show where we are:

Leinster
Kirchner..2015..NIE Possibly gone in May
Douglas..2017..NIE
Gopperth..2015..NIE Defo gone in May
Te'o..2016..NIQ until 2017

Not using all current spots. So room for one under the new rules or two if Kirchner goes.


Ulster
Pienaar..2017..NIE
Van der Merwe..2016..NIE
Herbst..2017..NIQ until 2017
Williams..2016..NIE
Ludik..2016..NIQ until 2017

Tied for another 18 months

Munster
Smith..2015..NIQ until 2017
Botha..2015..NIE
Bleyendaal..2017..NIQ until 2017
Van den Heever..2015..NIQ until 2016
Stander..2016..NIQ until 2015

3 players finishing and 1 becoming IQ so 3 possible spots.

Hell, been stocking up on South Africans, eh?

Notch wrote:

geoff999rugby wrote:Bowe didn't make the squad only because of a terrible selection of a blow in Aussie, forget his name, who proved to be a damp squib.

Brian Carney. Great call that one.

Not an Aussie though, a Rugby League convert who was from Cork.

Ah here now lets get a couple of Urban myths resolved. Bowe wasn't anywhere near the player then as he was from 2008 onwards, so in many ways that was the making of him as a top class player (not the move to the Ospreys that some reference).

Carney was one of the top wingers in world rugby league - equivilent to the likes of SBW, Jason Robinson or cough cough Sam Burgess at the time.

Eddie gave both players a chance in a direct head to head in a game against Argentina I think(?) - Carney scored an intercept try and Bowe had a quiet game.

Carney didn't even feature in the RWC so ultimately it didn't matter, but like Notch said the kick up the backside really helped Bowe.

Carney would have been a superstar but was passed in when he came across.

Not saying Bowe was as good as he was later but that doesn't alter the fact Carney didn't justify selection.

You mention Sam Burgess he is in the same boat.
He may come good but at the moment nowhere near good enough.
He was very poor against Exeter

Kirchener has supposedly agreed a new deal with Leinster. Bit of a surprise to be honest but happy to have him in the squad.

geoff999rugby wrote:Not saying Bowe was as good as he was later but that doesn't alter the fact Carney didn't justify selection.

You mention Sam Burgess he is in the same boat.
He may come good but at the moment nowhere near good enough.
He was very poor against Exeter

Yea the point was with Hindsight, knowing the player Bowe went on to be versus the one Carney didn't, it is a laughable decision...but I think at the time it was a lot closer than you are suggesting. Bowe wasn't in great form and had slipped behind Hickie and Trimble in the Irish pecking order.

Like I say I'm glad it happened because Bowe has gone on to be one of the best Irish players in the pro era and but for Eddie's snub he may not have done....but then maybe he wouldn't have left for the Ospreys either... hmm ...Eddie you barsteward!!

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Kirchener has supposedly agreed a new deal with Leinster. Bit of a surprise to be honest but happy to have him in the squad.

You serious?!

We'd have given you Payne in return for Jordie Murphy and Jack McGrath.

That is what is being reported anyway Rods. I just hope he isn't on too much money given he isn't even a starter when all are available.

geoff999rugby wrote:Not saying Bowe was as good as he was later but that doesn't alter the fact Carney didn't justify selection.

You mention Sam Burgess he is in the same boat.
He may come good but at the moment nowhere near good enough.
He was very poor against Exeter

The thinking behind bringing Carney was as far as I can remember his experience in big games. He has won everything to be won in rugby league. He is also a bit of a character. Burgess would not be held in the same regard as him in rugby league. I came across a group of Wigan supporters in Dublin and they just loved him.

By the way, he scored a try for Munster on his debut in Ravenhill!

Carney is now working with Sky (Rugby League & GAA).

So if Kirchener has resigned that is Leinster NIQ cupboard full

Kirchener, Nacewa, Teo, Douglas

Only Munster with wiggle room and they have 3 slots free - only Bleyendaal signed up so far

geoff998rugby wrote:So if Kirchener has resigned that is Leinster NIQ cupboard full

Kirchener, Nacewa, Teo, Douglas

Only Munster with wiggle room and they have 3 slots free - only  Bleyendaal signed up so far

Botha for another year (Same age as Mike Ross) Augustin Creevy and Francis Saili the all black.

Biltong wrote:

geoff998rugby wrote:Reposting from another thread to show where we are:

Leinster
Kirchner..2015..NIE Possibly gone in May
Douglas..2017..NIE
Gopperth..2015..NIE Defo gone in May
Te'o..2016..NIQ until 2017

Not using all current spots. So room for one under the new rules or two if Kirchner goes.


Ulster
Pienaar..2017..NIE
Van der Merwe..2016..NIE
Herbst..2017..NIQ until 2017
Williams..2016..NIE
Ludik..2016..NIQ until 2017

Tied for another 18 months

Munster
Smith..2015..NIQ until 2017
Botha..2015..NIE
Bleyendaal..2017..NIQ until 2017
Van den Heever..2015..NIQ until 2016
Stander..2016..NIQ until 2015

3 players finishing and 1 becoming IQ so 3 possible spots.

Hell, been stocking up on South Africans, eh?

Not actually that bad. 4 in Ulster. (The worst offenders ) 3 in Munster (Bleyendaal is a Kiwi) of which Stander qualifies for Ireland in a few months. 1 in Leinster and Danie Poolman + Quinn Roux in Connacht. That's 10 in total. How many of them would have been Bokke? Not many. Pienaar is the only current Bok. You were personally happy for us to get Kirchner. None of the rest would be near the national team.

Have a look at the numbers in France........

Are all those deals completed ?

If so means Smith and Van den Heever are on their way out

geoff998rugby wrote:Are all those deals completed ?

If so means Smith and Van den Heever are on their way out

Smith deffo going. Toss up between VDH and Botha. Which one would you keep?

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

geoff998rugby wrote:Are all those deals completed ?

If so means Smith and Van den Heever are on their way out

Smith deffo going. Toss up between VDH and Botha. Which one would you keep?

There maybe some wiggle room because of Varley retiring and Creevy being away a lot with Argentina.

It would be a pity to let GdeH go with only a year to go to be IQ. If not useful for Munster, he could be useful elsewhere.

Talk of Henshaw leaving Connacht again in papers. His Dad saying he isn't going to think about it until after the world cup. Munster seems to be the likely destination now.

I don't see the point of Leinster retaining Kirchener. They have Kearney already plaus Nacewa coming back I presume, along with a load more players who can play fullback. It makes little sense. They also have Cian Kelleher in the academy who is one to keep an eye on.
Thats not to say Kirchener isn't a good player - he is - but he isn't needed.


Munster should let Van Den Heever go. Decent player but thats all and he is not really needed. Botha is needed for another season until Munster sort out the tighthead position. Saili looks a good signing and should help the attack and Augustin Creevy is a good player. Losing Hanrahan is a big blow though.