Rassie Erasmus couldn't let Munster fans enjoy this one over Christmas, could he?
Reports from New Zealand and France, earlier this week, had Munster supporters excited.
The province had been linked with a lucrative swoop for All Blacks vice captain Ben Smith and were said to be up against a couple of Top 14 sides.
While Smith could earn well in excess of €1m in France, there were suggestions that a deal in the region of €750,000 per season could be thrashed out to get him to Thomond Park.
https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/810783500102172672
Ahead of Munster's December 26 Guinness PRO12 game with Leinster, Rassie Erasmus faced the media and Smith's name was not long cropping up. The province's director of rugby was not long nipping this transfer rumour in the bud.
He said:
"One of my briefs is to get Irish-qualified players well coached and available for Joe Schmidt. All four provinces are the same and Ben Smith is obviously not Irish-qualified, so that's not true."
Dang that anyway.
Smith is more than capable of doing a fantastic job for teams at fullback, centre or on either wing. He also would have brought some much-needed box-office to Thomond Park and been a key leader in a squad growing in confidence.
Erasmus is currently in talks with the IRFU about keeping South Africa centre Jaco Taute on for a further six months so he may be choosing his battles wisely here.
