‘People are looking at the Jordie Barrett signing totally wrong’ – Munster’s John Ryan on Leinster’s big move

This time last year, he was adjusting to life in New Zealand, all the while in the thick of the Super Rugby season, culminating in a memorable run to the final with the Chiefs.

As an Ireland international with the club for a short stint on the back of Wasps folding, the Chiefs were keen to pick up whatever little nuggets they could from Ryan.

That worked both ways in terms of the veteran tighthead getting the chance to experience a new culture, as well as a fresh way of thinking about the game and how it is played.

Apart from a brief loan spell with London Irish, who, like Wasps, have since suffered the same dismal fate, when it came to rugby, all Ryan knew was what went on inside the four walls of Munster.

So, when Leinster announced the shock signing of Jordie Barrett earlier this week, Ryan was able to remove the emotion from the situation and look at it rationally.

The furore continues to dominate Irish rugby circles, with debates raging up and down the country around the logic of, firstly, Leinster signing a current All Black star in an area where they are not exactly short of international class, and secondly, why they were given permission by the IRFU to secure Barrett on a six-month deal.

For Ryan, the controversy has been blown out of proportion.

“You can paint that a lot of different ways,” the Cork man says. “I think people are looking at that picture totally wrong.

“You’re looking at a player leaving New Zealand and not going to Japan and not going to France [for more money] but coming to Ireland.

“Obviously, he’s got some roots there [in Meath], but it’s a move that makes sense and also it says, ‘Right, we’ve got a world-class guy in his prime, not an All Black who’s finishing up and leaving his international career behind him’,” he added.

“This is a sabbatical he’s taking and coming and playing in Ireland, which is a huge compliment to rugby in this country, I think.”

Considering that Barrett’s impending move to Leinster in December will significantly strengthen Munster’s biggest rivals, Ryan could easily have thrown his toys out of the pram, but his measured outlook is to be admired.

The 35-year-old, who recently signed a contract extension to continue playing with his home province next season, has seen the impact overseas signings can have on these shores.

Tyler Bleyendaal was once in that bracket, and while his five years with Munster were blighted by injury, Ryan has not been surprised by his former team-mate’s rapid rise through the coaching ranks.

Bleyendaal (33) was forced to call time on his playing career in 2020 due to a persistent neck injury but has remained in the game, coaching the Hurricanes and the Tongan attack at last year’s World Cup, which prompted Leinster to lure the former out-half back to Ireland as Andrew Goodman’s replacement this summer.

“It’s huge for him,” Ryan maintains. “He’s a relatively young coach, but I know his calibre as a player. He unfortunately had a lot of injuries with us, he came in injured, but the minute he came into us, you could see he had that leadership.

“And it was beyond leadership. He was nearly contributing to the coaching. He did a lot of hands-on coaching with us and was previewing and giving presentations to us, so you could always see he was going to be a top-quality coach.

“I had the pleasure of playing against him as a coach last year as well and he was loving it. With Jason Holland moving on, he was content in the job he had, so he’s clearly building that experience.

“Leinster are a world-class club and to get that job as an attack coach is a huge credit to him, so I’m delighted for him. I was onto him yesterday and sent my congratulations to him.”

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Like Barrett, Ryan believes Bleyendaal will be a big success at Leinster, even if it will be tough to see him behind enemy lines in a fashion.

“He’s a laid-back guy,” Ryan adds. “I don’t want to call him detail heavy, but he’s very big on his detail. He’s serious, but I got on really well with him. He takes his rugby very seriously and coming into a team like Leinster as their attack coach, that’s [impressive].

“Rob Penney actually brought him in and I know Rob wasn’t here when he came in. I know Rob coached him when he was younger, so he obviously always had that in him, but when he came in, he didn’t just want to sit by and do his rehab, he wanted to have an input.

“That was ingrained in him at an early age, and he’s a natural coach, I think.

“But he played with us, he was a brilliant player as well, but just his injuries came on him again. I’d say after that ’16/’17 season. He had an unreal season and got Player of the Year, but unfortunately, he fell back into more of the coaching role again through injury.”