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Billy Burns poised to stay on in Ireland after Ulster exit – report

Ulster's Billy Burns (Photo by Matt Impey/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

URC champions Munster are reportedly set to sign Billy Burns from Ulster to offset the impending loss of Joey Carbery to France in 2024/25. The Irish province have had issues at out-half in recent times following what was initially a logjam in the position.

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It was 2021 when JJ Hanrahan, who is now at Connacht, exited for Clermont and the year after when Jake Flannery, another former Ireland U20s No10, felt his career was best served by switching to Ulster.

Ben Healy also departed, joining Edinburgh this season after he made the breakthrough at international level with Scotland, and the decision by Carbery to join Bordeaux next term in the Top 14 has left Munster looking decidedly thin on resources, especially Jack Crowley set to become more involved with Andy Farrell’s Ireland in the wake of Johnny Sexton’s retirement.

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Rather than seek out a solution from abroad, it appears Munster could bolster their out-half cover by signing Burns, who isn’t having his contract renewed by Ulster.

He joined the northern province in 2018, going on to be capped at Test level by Farrell, but he hasn’t played internationally since his seventh appearance, the 2021 Summer Series win over Japan in Dublin.

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An Irish Times report read: “Billy Burns is being lined up by Munster as a potential signing for next season in the light of Joey Carbery’s decision to move on from the province next summer and join Bordeaux.

“The 29-year-old Burns is not having his contract renewed by Ulster and The Irish Times understands that the out-half and Munster have undertaken negotiations with a view to him relocating south, which looks likely…

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“Burns is in his sixth season as Ulster’s first-choice out-half, having joined them in July 2018 following the retirement of Ian Humphreys, the termination of Paddy Jackson’s contract and the conclusion of Christian Lealiifano’s loan deal.”

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1 Comment
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AOK 291 days ago

How much are Munster regretting losing Ben Healy now?!

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Tom 1 hour ago
England player ratings vs South Africa | 2024 Autumn Nations Series

That 2019 performance was literally the peak in attacking rugby under Eddie. If you thought that was underwhelming, the rest of it was garbage.


I totally get what you're saying and England don't need or have any God given right to the best coaches in the world... But I actually think the coaches we do have are quite poor and for the richest union in the world, that's not good enough. 


England are competitive for sure but with the talent pool up here and the funds available, we should be in the top 3. At the very least we should be winning six nations titles on a semi-regular basis. If Ireland can, England definitely should.


England's attack coach (Richard Wigglesworth) is Borthwick's mate from his playing days at Saracens, who he brought to Leicester with him when he became coach. Wigglesworth was a 9 who had no running or passing game, but was the best box kicker in the business. He has no credentials to be an attack coach and I've seen nothing to prove otherwise. Aside from Marcus Smith’s individual brilliance, our collective attack has looked very uninspiring.

 

England's defence coach (Joe El-Abd) is Borthwick's housemate from uni, who has never been employed as a defence coach before. He's doing the job part time while he's still the head coach of a team in the second division of French rugby who have an awful defensive record. England's defence has gone from being brutally efficient under Felix Jones to as leaky as a colander almost overnight.


If Borthwick brings in a new attack and defence coach then I'll absolutely get behind him but his current coaches seem to be the product of nepotism. He's brought in people he's comfortable with because he lacks confidence as an international head coach and they aren't good enough for international rugby.


England are competitive because they do some things really well, mostly they front up physically, make a lot of big hits, have a solid kicking game, a good lineout, good maul, Marcus Smith and some solid forwards. A lot of what we do well I would ascribe to Borthwick personally. I don't think he's a bad coach, I think he lacks imagination and is overly risk averse. He needs coaches who will bring a point of difference.


I guess my point is, yes England are competitive, but we’re not aiming for competitive and I honestly don't believe this coaching setup has what it takes to make us any better than competitive.


On the plus side it looks like we have an amazing crop of young players coming through. Some of them who won the u20 world cup played for England A against Australia A on the weekend and looked incredible... Check out the highlights on youtube.

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