Talent Development Programme Underway In Limerick And Cork

16th July 2021 By The Editor

The 2021 Munster Rugby Summer Talent Development Programme is currently underway.

The 2021 Summer Talent Development Programme continues at pace with all squads settling into their respective training schedules.

The programme kicked off in late June and sees the Munster U19s, Munster U18s clubs & schools, Munster U17s, Munster Senior Women and Munster U18 Women squads train up to three days a week in both Thomond Park and Musgrave Park.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the respective squads are larger than they normally would be at this time of year but Munster Rugby Development staff are keen to give every player an opportunity considering the lack of rugby that has taken place over the last 18 months.

As the programme continues over the coming weeks, squad sizes will be reduced with a final squad selected for each group ahead of the Interprovincial Championship series which will take place in August and September.

Trial match at Thomond Park involving the U18 Boys group.

Due to the current restrictions associated with Covid-19, players must complete a health declaration on the evening prior to a scheduled training session.

Coach and Player Development Officer Noel O’Meara, who on Thursday oversaw a trial match involving the U18 club and schools group at Thomond Park, highlights some of the differences between this year’s programme for the U18 boys group and those of previous years.

“This year has been very difficult I suppose but we’re very happy just to be out on a pitch,” O’Meara told Munster Rugby.

“Being back playing has been massive for us. I know for the parents and the players as well but the parents are delighted to have them back and for the players to get the opportunity to showcase themselves. Other years we would have been in camp at this stage. We would have done an eight-week internal camp, living in UL, for the last couple of years but this year we can’t do that with Covid so players have to check in the night before, do their questionnaire and their health declaration and then arrive at camp on the morning.

“We’ve two centres, Cork and Limerick. On a Monday they go to the centre that’s closest to them but on Tuesdays, we all meet in Cork and then Thursdays we all go to Limerick. So it’s a big commitment from the players and their parents to get them here on a weekly basis so we’re really appreciative of that.”

Trial match at Thomond Park involving the U18 Boys group.

Other differences include the delivery of educational and S&C modules which are carried out remotely via Zoom.

Prior to the commencement of this current programme, all players involved in the respective groups would have received weekly plans to do from home which focussed on conditioning, skills and education as O’Meara explains:

“So players are working at home doing their skills provided by Mike Pettman our Technical Skills Development Coach and our S&C. So we did keep in touch with them during the summer and we did provide programmes for them. We kept in contact.

“While we didn’t see them in a game sense, we’re now getting that opportunity. The numbers are bigger than they would usually be because we weren’t able to get them in and play and select them.”

Munster Rugby U18 Boys 2021 Summer Development Programme

See below for a video from our 2019 Talent Camp which includes interviews with Jack Crowley and Alex Kendellen, both of whom made their senior Munster debuts during the 2020/21 season.