Incoming prop: Michael Bent
Ireland's selection of Taranaki prop Michael Bent has raised plenty of eyebrows over the IRFU's failure to produce quality props locally.
The 26-year-old qualifies for Ireland through his grandmother, and is expected to make his Ireland debut during the upcoming November internationals having not played a single game for his club side, Leinster.
Having Bent 'parachuted' into immediately being selected for his country has once again brought under the spotlight the IRB laws regarding qualification to play Test rugby.
The inclusion of Richardt Strauss in the Ireland squad for this month's internationals was also met with some opposition, despite Strauss having played his club rugby in Ireland for three years with Leinster and in that time winning two Heineken Cups.
Speaking to Newstalk's "Off the Ball" programme last week, former Ireland skipper Keith Wood was explicit in his views regarding Bent's selection.
"It can't be, it can't be that easy to play for Ireland as to get onto a flight and fly into the country. It can't be. I find it wrong," said Wood.
"There is something unpalatable about a guy who hasn't played a game in this country to go and play (for Ireland).
"We know he has played 10 or 11 games (for Taranaki) down in New Zealand and apparently he's good, and all that, but this is playing for your country. It isn't playing for Leinster.
"How in the name of Jesus are we getting to the point where a guy flies into the country and he will play for Ireland?"
Wood's view is not uncommon and the fact is the IRFU's production of quality prop forwards over the last decade has been sub-standard.
For years Ireland mercilessly flogged Marcus Horan and John Hayes due to a lack of quality alternatives, the two Munstermen amassing 172 caps between them.
Now the baton has been passed on to Cian Healy and Mike Ross, although age is not on Ross' side at 32. Healy has been an integral part of Leinster and Ireland's success in recent years and aged 25 has potentially a decade of playing time ahead of him, but without regular competition for his place he will simply burn out.
A series of outstanding foreign props have been brought in by the Irish provinces in recent years - John Afoa, BJ Botha, Nathan White, Wian du Preez and Heinke van der Merwe to name a few - with many operating as starters.
Whilst doing so may have increased the chances of success at club level - four of the last five Heineken Cups have been won by Irish sides - the end result is young Irish talents at both loosehead and tighthead have been denied opportunities.
This was highlighted when Ireland took on England at Twickenham during last year's Six Nations championship. With Mike Ross off injured, Tom Court was found wanting on the tighthead side of the scrum - not his specialist position.
If Ross picked up a long-term injury tomorrow, without Bent the talent is arguably not there to replace him.
That is not to say that Ireland are without prospects. Jamie Hagan, Declan Fitzpatrick and David Kilcoyne all have potential but are far from ready for Test rugby.
With Bent available to play immediately, Ireland cannot turn him down. Wood may not be happy with the circumstances, but the outlay on foreign props and failure to nurture strong depth on both sides of the scrum has forced Ireland's hand.
It all means that according to The Irish Times, Bent could become the first man to play for Ireland without playing a provincial game since Brian O'Driscoll.
By Ben Coles
Comments
Brady says...
Andy1000
Id say it is covered over Samoa because a lot more readers of site come from Ireland than Samoa.
Posted 16:10 05th November 2012
Melkiwi says...
@andy1000 difference is Samoa don't not have 4 professional teams or even a decent development program. All teams in Samoa are just local teams with the better ones looking overseas for opportunities. The island team rely on overseas based players because well they don't have any sort of proffessional set up like the European countries.
Posted 15:25 05th November 2012
three6three6 says...
This is an appalling state of affairs.... if anything Bent should be the fourth or fifth tighthead prop in line. He is unproven as a Super rugby player. He played along side many young inexperienced props at the Hurricanes earlier in year. Is he any good? Will he hold his own on his own feed? Does he destroy the oppositions scrummage? We would at least want to see him play a game or three before fast tracking him into the Ireland national team.
I did enjoy the comments from quin_dub regarding the scrummaging in junior rugby. The unfortunate reality is that scrummaging is seen as being dangerous. This is compounded by poor coaching (lack of technical front row knowledge) and very poor refereeing. The inevitable "de powering" of the scrummage has left us all in a worse place in terms of developing good quality front row forwards. This has happened in other countries - e.g. Australia. Using referees to "manage the scrum" in junior rugby is not the answer to allowing a geniune contest to develop at the scrummage.
What about yer man Paddy Ryan who has been playing for the Waratahs? He is Irish, but it now looks as though he may be capped by Australia! He has been included in the Wallaby squad to travel to Europe.
Posted 14:45 05th November 2012
andy1000 says...
As much as I don't like this selection why is this a news story and Samoa doing exactly the same thing not worthy of mention? There are new uncapped players in the Samoan squad for the november tests who have been picked using the same parent/grandparent rule. Why is this not a concern but when it's Ireland or England it's the lead story?
Posted 13:49 05th November 2012
Melkiwi says...
The main thing is not if he eligible or not it's just the manner in which he was selected. @fastmax13 all those players you have mention have spent more than 2 weeks in there respect countries unlike bent all those players in fact have spent more than ten years. It's just that he hasn't even played a game yet or even stepped onto Irish soil till just recently and already he's been selected. Things must be very bad in Ireland rugby cause to be honest he's a good itm cup player but never made the step up to super rugby, he was the forth choice prop for the hurricanes this year behind a veteran may and two 20 year olds in Goode and toomaga-Allen
Posted 13:43 05th November 2012
liam2me says...
Where was PR outcry when Team England packed half their squad with foreigners? The editorial hypocrisy is a joke.
As for this player who I've not heard of, lets leave the foreigners playing for a different country to the English!
Posted 13:39 05th November 2012
99call says...
Im all for only irish players on the pitch but needs must, we will have a few decent props in the near future with McAllister Fitzpatrick and Macklin at Ulster and Hagan and Kilcoyne showing well at the moment at provincial level but they arent ready for full international duty yet.
Yes I find it a bit weird that he will probably play for Ireland before Leinster but thats purely down to timing as he wanted to see out the ITM in NZ which is fair play to him, everyone knew he was on his way and that hes a good tighthead so lets just be thankfull he decided to come here and play.
Coutries have been poaching for years I cant take any moaning from the Kiwis as they are the worst for it and I cant think for one minute that the Hartleys,Hapes, Vunipolas and Tuilagis not to mention the Bothas and Barretts of this world ever grew up dreaming of playing for England but no one mentions that.
The guy has irish grandparents so under the current rules he is able to play end of story.
Ive got alot of time for Keith Wood but he has to get his head out of the old days this is professional rugby and results count and you cant win an international these days without a top class number 3
Posted 13:38 05th November 2012
crunchfit says...
@melkdave
Saying the IRFU are focusing on provincial success over national success is wrong. They are only interested in their own longevity. I've seen you make many posts about the IRFU player welfare policy which hinders clubs at the expense of the national team. You are all too aware of that. Then there's things such as forcing the sale of Nathan Hines and interfering with the positioning of players in clubs. And then there's the poorly thought out plan of limiting of non-Irish players in the provincial sides - not much thought for the club sides when that idea was put forward. I thought you were aware of stuff like this. Are you not? Or are you really so biased that you ignore the facts to make a point which suits your point of view?
"IRFU to firmly gluded to the HC glory trail ,and the club game." This isn't true at all. If you're going to have an obsession with the Irish club and national teams, at least make sure you've got your facts right.
Posted 13:14 05th November 2012
leinster_goy says...
we live in a globalised world, guys. nationalism is largely an 18th century construct, a reaction to crumbling empires and local industrialisation. now national borders are breaking down and countries are pooling their sovereignty in regional organisations (look at the EU)
people have been migrating (never really understood the im- or em- prefix on that word) since humans have existed, in order to better their own lives. more of it, i say
Posted 13:14 05th November 2012
quin_dub says...
As has been said already - This is all due to the IRFU not standing up to their Insurers several years ago and changing the laws for Under-age and Adult Junior grade scrummaging - Scrums can't move more than 1.5M ; End result - an entire generation of props that do not know how to compete in a full blown scum scenario. The "genetic" props are not being picked at School/Youth level because their coaches pick chunky back-rows instead as they value their "round the field" contributions more as scrums don't matter anymore...So when those guys get to Adult level they can't cope with guys who have been scrummaging properly since day one. Think about Irish Props before they changed the laws - Des Fitzgerald , Paco Fitzgerald , Paul Wallace , Nick Popplewell , Peter Clohessy ; All very well regarded Scrummagers.... Now...the cupboard is bare.....
Posted 13:03 05th November 2012
melkdave says...
Bent is quite legally allowed to play for Ireland ,though blood ties.So you can hardly call him a mercenary .His young seen an oppotunity to fullfill a dream ,and gone for it .I dought even he expected to be in the national sqad so quickly lol.That really does show the IRFUs failure in this regard to promote and develop local props.Eyes firmly fixed on HC glory for its clubs i expect ,rather than the national team .I expect thats one reason Ireland at test leval dont perform as well as youd expect.IRFU to firmly gluded to the HC glory trail ,and the club game.
Posted 12:25 05th November 2012
Brady says...
Embarrassing. Even more so than the 60 - 0 loss to the All Blaks in June. Pick the best tighthead we have, even if not up to the level required, even if it means the scrum getting destroyed and a guaranteed loss. There is more dignity in that than is this pathetic measure. The Ireland coach is clinging to his job and is willing to resort to shameful measures. If Bent plays against the springboks I will be shouting for the saffas.
Posted 12:15 05th November 2012
dodgyrog says...
being an irish supporter, could someone please say if he is any good.
Posted 11:41 05th November 2012
jmckenna92 says...
without bent we would be screwed though, we have healy and court at 1 now and ross and bent at 3, next year we are going to have jarad payne in the starting 15 aswell, Ireland plus others lol
Posted 11:06 05th November 2012
ciaran1792 says...
I have heard he caries an Irish passport if so then he is more than eligible to play for Ireland the same way James O'Connor could have picked SA,NZ or Aus to play for if he wanted. Every country has a few people who are qualified through family. Wales Toby Falitau. Scotland Nathan Hines and because of qualification Tim Visser. England Waldrum, Hartly, Tualagi, to name a few.Aus O'Connor though born there qualified for 3 nations, Will Genia born in Papa New Guinea , Quade Cooper, Digbi Ione, David Pocock born in Zimbabwe. and New Zealand have done it too its a fact of pro sport we have to live with it.
Posted 11:00 05th November 2012
Fastmax13 says...
Well Ireland as with NZ has a very small player base to choose from so I find zero problems if they have to dip into the "qualified" by heritage every now and again it has worked very well for NZ and why should we not use it ??? Other larger countries like England and France however should never have to look overseas for players but if you look at the current English team there are 6 none born English men and they have the largest player base in the world !! Just my thoughts lol
Posted 10:37 05th November 2012
heart_of_oak says...
He qualifies for Ireland and so he can be selected. To those who don't like this, it's the eligibility rules you need to complain about, not the coaches who make the selections.
By the way, have you seen the size of this bloke's arms ? He makes Arnold Schwarzenegger look like Julian Clary.
Posted 10:24 05th November 2012
andy1000 says...
This turns international rugby into a club competition which is a travesty.
Posted 10:19 05th November 2012
rockman says...
Ok i am against players coming in and claiming irishness, although we're not the only ones at it. Ireland have been screwed for props for a long time and the problem lies solely with the IRFU and the laws they have in place. Schools rugby in Ireland is huge and to a very high standard (higher than the senior international team most years) yet it has different scrummaging laws. Scrums can only be pushed a metre and a half before being reset with the team in possession retaining it. If the scrum wheels 90 degrees it is merely reset again. There is no competition in scrums and therefore the props do not need the skills of a 'proper prop' and when they take the step up to senior club rugby they cannot handle it due to lack of experience and just quit the sport altogether.
Posted 10:14 05th November 2012
GCP_jones says...
This situation has been one of the 'elephants in the room' moments for the IRFU for years. Whatever about Struass and no reflection on M Bent but this stinks.
We have 2 tight heads playing regularly for there clubs in the Aviva Premiership in Tony Buckley, and John Andress. Why has Kidney ignored them and why are'nt the Irish Media in particular calling him to task on the subject?.
The Irfu have missed the boat with Paul Doran Jones born in Co Meath, and K Brookes at leicester who has played for irealnd up to U 20 level,R Murphy is also playing regular rugby with the Brumbies (not a ringing endorsement but you get the picture).
Is the fact that he played every game for Taranaki more of a recommendation than the Aviva premiership I for one would take a punt on players playing in England.
I've watched a lot of the ITM cup this year and really enjoyed it,but,the likes of Peter Borlasse (remember him) is the starting tight head for Hawke's Bay for christs sake.
Bent did'nt really feature for the Hurricanes and when he did played loose head. If he does make the match day squad for Saturday I will of course be rooting for him, but this Saturday will be a bad day for Irish rugby.
Posted 10:10 05th November 2012