Bernard Jackman: Bench role could be Gavin Coombes' route back to Irish squad

Bernard Jackman believes Gavin Coombes' new role for Munster off the bench could prove to be the point of difference to get him back into the Ireland squad.

The Munster number 8 has played all 23 games for Munster across the BKT United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup, scoring seven tries in a typically industrious campaign.

Coombes has been locked in as a starter in the Munster back row for four seasons now, but in recent weeks the 26-year-old's role has changed, as the Munster coaches look to spread their wealth across both the first XV and their bench.

Munster head coach Graham Rowntree has shaken up his selection since the Investec Champions Cup elimination against Northampton Saints, and has held back a number of players - who would normally be considered as starters - on the bench, a tactic which is seeing the province perform better across the full 80 minutes.

One of players is Coombes, who has started just one of the last five games but has still contributed two tries, while remaining in the top two for both successful carries and tackles in the league this year.

The Corkman has been a regular in Ireland squads under Andy Farrell, but it's just under three years since he won the last of his two Ireland caps.

And Jackman believes his explosive performances off the bench for Munster may just catch the eye of the Ireland coach.

"I've massive admiration for Gavin Coombes, and not just his willingness to be on the bench," he told the RTÉ Rugby podcast.

"Go back to his early days, it all came quite easy to him because he’s a brilliant athlete and was in the team and was scoring tries.

"Then he had a little bit of a setback, that game for Ireland A [against All Blacks XV] in the RDS where he was kind of the fall-guy, which I