Munster coach opens up on Joey Carbery threat as Alex Nankivell update issued

Munster defence coach Denis Leamy said they will be wary of Bordeaux-Begles fly-half Joey Carbery’s inside knowledge when they meet in their Champions Cup quarter-final on Saturday.

New Zealand-born Carbery started his senior career at Leinster in 2016 before joining Munster where he had a five-and-a-half-year stint.

However, the Ireland international joined Bordeaux at the end of last season after being overlooked for the 2023 Rugby World Cup and the two previous Six Nations campaigns.

Saturday’s clash with Munster will be at Stade Chaban-Delmas which is the same venue where Carbery impressed during Bordeaux’s 43-31 triumph over Ulster last weekend.

The 29-year-old was eventually replaced by France playmaker Matthieu Jalibert early in the second half and ahead of this weekend’s encounter Leamy revealed that Carbery‘s name has not been discussed during Munster’s preparations.

“Do you know what, we haven’t spoken about it at all, I’ll be honest with you,” he said. “I think we’ve just got to focus on ourselves.

‘We’ll just have to put our best foot forward and do it really’

“Joey will know us inside out. He’s worked with pretty much everyone in the building so he’ll have a good idea of what we’re trying to do but ultimately we’ll just have to put our best foot forward and do it really, really well, and hope that that’s good enough.”

Carbery decided to leave Munster after being usurped by Jack Crowley in the Irish province’s fly-half pecking order and Leamy admitted that he is not surprised that the Irish province’s former player has done well in his new surroundings.

“Joey’s a top-class player and we were sad to see him go, he’s definitely a loss to the building here,” he added. “Look, when guys want to go and seek other opportunities and sample a different culture etc, you just wish them the best.

“Everybody’s pleased for Joey and how it’s going for him and hopefully he has a very successful season, domestically, just not on Saturday.”

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Leamy knows that Munster will have to be at their best against their French opponents this weekend as apart from Carbery and Jalibert, Bordeaux have several attacking threats with the likes of Maxime Lucu (scrum-half), Damian Penaud (wing), Yoram Moefana (centre) and Romain Buros (full-back) all capable of wreaking havoc with ball in hand.

“Their ability is incredible. Certainly before Christmas they looked like favourites for the competition and I think that probably hasn’t changed a whole lot,” he said.

“Leinster did an amazing thing in Dublin on Saturday and you’d have to say they’re incredibly well positioned to win it as well but Bordeaux pre-Christmas were awesome in some of the rugby they were playing and, again, you saw it in glimpses against Ulster; just their ability, their raw power, their speed and they’ve got X-factor players. Lucu controls the game so well.

“Yeah, they’ve just got quality right across the pitch.”

Some good news for Munster

Meanwhile, Munster have received a timely boost ahead of their trip to Bordeaux with the news that star centre Alex Nankivell is set to return to action after their appeal against his red card in the United Rugby Championship (URC) clash with Connacht was upheld.

Nankivell initially received a two-match suspension which meant he missed Munster’s last 16 Champions Cup triumph over La Rochelle.

The URC issued a statement which indicated that he will be available for selection for the Bordeaux-Begles encounter.

“Following the original disciplinary hearing on Wednesday, April 2, the player exercised his right to appeal,” read the statement.

“An appeal panel consisting of Rod McKenzie [chair, Scotland], Achille Reali [Italy] and Rory Bannerman [Scotland] met on Wednesday, April 9, to review.

“The appeal was upheld by the panel and the player is free to play in Munster’s Champions Cup quarter-final clash on Saturday. April 12.”

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