I tend to watch games from a scrumhalf’s perspective. Old habits. What struck me about Connacht beating Munster at the Dexcom last Saturday was the impact of the nines.
Ulster pulled off a shrewd piece of business convincing Matthew Devine to swap Galway for Belfast next season. Ben Murphy is deserving of his place in the Connacht team, but Devine’s impact was noticeable.
Alongside Jack Carty’s introduction, he brought pace and control.
We’ll find out next season who is the better scrumhalf between Devine and Nathan Doak. Or who Ulster coach Richie Murphy prefers. Murphy’s attack coach Mark Sexton will have a big say on who gets the nod.
Considering what we already know about Stuart Lancaster’s ability to build a squad, and all the recent Connacht signings, it’s a brave move by Devine.
