Hanrahan In A Good Place

Next Saturday Costello’s side take on Aberavon in Port Talbot and Hanrahan will play a crucial role in Munster’s quest to nail down a place in the play offs.

Perhaps not surprisingly the Co Kerry native finds it difficult to mask his enthusiasm for the current situation he finds himself in terms of his career and he believes the new contract will give him the space to develop.

"It was always an easy decision for me. It's not like I ever wanted to look anywhere else. I didn't. Munster is a place I've always wanted to play and want to play for the rest of my career if it happens like that.

Right now I'm at a building process and still trying to break through and signing a two year contract allows me the space to keep developing and learning from the best players who are around me.
"You have Rog and Keats here, two excellent players and I'm learning off them every day and it's coming to the stage where I'm trying to challenge them as well. So it's enjoyable in the sense that it's competitive co-operation. We're training together every day but at the end of the day we're all trying to take each others place. And that's the hugely enjoyable part of it.

"And he also has confidence in the powers that be to maintain the proper structures. "No matter who's coaching Munster, as long as I feel they're going in the right direction I'll be happy here no matter what coach there is. That's not taking away from Rob and Simon. They've been great influences on me since they've come here. Cossie as well.

"I love their style of rugby and I love the attitude they bring to rugby. And that was definitely a deciding factor cause it makes them a lot easier to play for. But at the end of the day it's Munster for me and thats who I want to play for.

"It's all going really well here with the RaboDirect and HC and B&I Cup. Plus I'm here with a group of lads who are my friends, those coming through and then the older lads who are at the peak of their careers and we want to try help them out and win things for them and win things for ourselves. So it's really exciting times to be involved. There's a few lads one or two years older than me all coming through together and hopefully we can be the next generation of Munster."

Competition is keen in every position, a situation Hanrahan revels in. "You can look at that two ways either as a threat or a challenge. I like to see it as a challenge and that sort of competition spurs you on in training. If you turn up there and think you'll go through the motions, that's not just good enough. Someone else will take your place, that how competitive it is here.

"And I think as well that's it important for the more established players to have us trying to put pressure on them as well.

"The backroom staff, the Medical, the S&C here are excellent. I've got great gains in my fitness and strength in the last six months alone and then the physios keep us in top nick. I think to be honest its one of the top clubs in Europe from behind the scenes stuff that nobody really sees. I know from talking to other players in other clubs that with our off the field stuff we're in a very good place here in Munster."

And in terms of the immediate future, Hanrahan's mid won't stray any further than Saturday and the trip to Wales.

"There's two B&I Cup games coming up that hopefully I'll be involved in starting with the game against Aberavon. If I get my starts there (B&I). And perform well there. Impress the coaches at that level. I can do my part. As we say, control the controllables, play to best of my ability.

"Do what the coaches expect me to do and who knows ?"