One thing has always confused me.

Both historically and contemporarily, Munster Rugby should have been overflowing with hardy, industrious, hard-hitting midfielders coming through the academy, but, for some reason, that was never the case. It feels like the position that we should have been overflowing in talent, given how much crossover there is between the traditional ideal midfielder body shape and the profile that has traditionally excelled in Gaelic sports.

But, as we know, that wasn’t the case.

The only Munster-produced academy midfielder to win more than 100 professional caps is the very recently retired Rory Scannell. After that, it’s Dan Goggin and, at least when it comes to starts in midfield, Jack Crowley.

I think a lot of this has to do with the changing trends in midfield and the back three over the last few years, mixed with a few prospects not working out.

A great example of this is Shane Daly, who was the starting outside centre on the same Irish U20 side as James Ryan, Jacob Stockdale and Andrew Porter. At 6’3″ and around 95kg, Daly was exactly what most sides were looking for in a midfielder around the middle of the last decade, but, as the sport has evolved, his skillset became better suited for the outside backs.

Calvin Nash was very much in the same boat, for different physical reasons and similar game reasons. I’ve been over this role and sizing issue in my 3/4 Space series on the €10 tier, but it directly correlates with Munster’s issues when it comes to producing midfielders in the 2010s. In short, there are two main issues behind this lack of production relative to the other three provinces.

1. Anyone big and strong enough to be a power carrier midfielder ends up as a #8 at underage level, before struggling to adapt against bigger men as they progress through the levels.
2. Anyone with a good athletic profile, game IQ and who can also pass and kick at a decent level becomes a flyhalf at underage level, but the game never really slows down for them as a primary playmaker as they get older.

In addition to these factors, I think we were a little reactive when it came to midfield trends at an academy level or, perhaps, the club saw it as an easy place to recruit game-changing quality for the senior team, if necessary, which we certainly did.

While Munster are still recruiting extensively at senior level – we’ve signed a new midfielder every season bar one since 2018/19 – but there is real potential coming up through the academy system for the first time in a number of years. Last year, Munster added Gene O’Leary Kareem to the academy and a week or so ago we added in Midleton and Cork Con’s Eoghan Smyth.

Smyth is the definition of a hardy, tough as fuck hitter midfielder, who offers a very well rounded skill set on both sides of the ball. He’s 6’0″ and playing around 95kg at the moment, but I think he’s got the kind of frame that could support around 100kg, if needs be, but I wouldn’t say he needs it necessarily. His game is all about durability, work rate, coverage and offering an all-around skillset in practically every facet of the game.

Watching Smyth for Con this year, but primarily, the Irish 20s, the closest way I can describe Smyth’s role is like a small forward.

The work rate, the stinging carries, the short ball work, the leg drive, the defensive coverage, the defensive organisation, and the aggressive breakdown work on both sides of the ball; it’s all there.

Smyth came up through the Munster CSP program and was playing AIL in Division 2C against grown men when he was still in secondary school. Not every young lad is built for that type of rugby, especially in midfield, where you know he was the first guy everyone was looking for off the set piece. That he was well able for it tells you a ton about what he’s about.

He moved to Cork Con to continue his rugby at a higher level this past season, but that Division 2C toughness and street smarts run through everything in his game. If I were to put a player comp on him right now, it’d be former England and Saracens’ inside centre Brad Barritt. Smyth is an excellent communicator, he’s consistent, he’s tough as old boots, and he adds real value on both sides of the ball, even at a really young age in both age-grade representative rugby, but, almost more importantly, in the AIL.

His work for both Midleton last season and Cork Con this season showcases that you’ve got a proper player here. Smyth’s game is so well-rounded as it stands, his game IQ, comms and defensive work rate so polished, that I think all he really needs is to scale up physically and start getting used to the pace and power of the professional game. I think the easiest thing to lean on early in his Y1 career is his defensive work, punchy carries and short passing game. I don’t think it’s out of the question for him to pick up one or two URC appearances next season either, especially when he has Farrell, Nankivell, Kelly and possibly O’Brien to pair with. I think his AIL experience puts him in a spot where you can trust him with those minutes because they are what’s going to push him on, given how well-rounded he already is.

Work rate, balance and aggression – that’s what Eoghan Smyth is all about and he’s got all the tools to be a very interesting player for Munster in the next two to three seasons and beyond.