“Joey did very well at 15… I liked the look of him there.”
Chasing a big second half deficit, at Thomond Park, Munster brought on Ben Healy and dropped Joey Carbery to fullback.
House of Rugby host Greg O’Shea was not the only one that noted how well the Munster attack looked with Healy and Carbery as playmakers in that Munster backline. Jerry Flannery made a similar point on RTÉ as they looked back on Leinster’s 34-19 win over their old inter-pro rivals.
Matt Gallagher, who is headed to Bath next season, did not convince in his outing in the 15 jersey. Mike Haley is the obvious fullback option for the upcoming Champions Cup games against Exeter, but many in Munster would like to see Carbery feature at 15 again.
The only issue – and it is not a minor one – is Carbery left Leinster for Munster as he was not keen on a similar arrangement there. He headed south to get game-time as a starting outhalf and he will be insistent that he can help Munster best from that position.
On the latest House of Rugby URC [LISTEN from 7:45 below], hosts Greg O’Shea, Lindsay Peat and Jason Hennessy were joined by former Ireland winger Ali Miller. All four discussed the Carbery fullback option.
Joey Carbery pictured during Munster Rugby training at University of Limerick, in 2019. (Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile)Joey Carbery dropping back to fullback mid-game?
In his 31 outings for Munster, since he joined from Leinster, Joey Carbery has never started in the 15 jersey. He has featured a few times at fullback, though, after positional and personnel switches by Johann van Graan in matches.
“I like the look of Joey back there,” says O’Shea, “as he’s so creative, he has such a good step, and he sees gaps.
“When Ben Healy went in at 10, I thought it worked well… for these next couple of games against Exeter, I’d like to see Joey at 15.”
Co-host Jason Hennessy notes how ‘absolutely class’ Carbery looked when he was asked by Leinster to play fullback in a backline that often featured Johnny Sexton at outhalf. The thinking, back in 2018, was to move Carbery to Munster as Sexton needed an Ireland deputy that was getting regular starts in the 10 jersey.
“All the talk of his move to Munster was that he’d now be this 10 that could challenge Johnny Sexton,” he adds.
Ali Miller feels Carbery should be kept as starting outhalf for Munster, with Ireland in mind. Lindsay Peat played mediator by suggesting the mid-game switch to fullback could be a compromise most supporters, and the man himself, could get behind.
With Mike Haley and Simon Zebo back in contention for this Last 16 dates with Exeter, the ‘Carbery to fullback’ button may not have to be pressed. For now.
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