Holland’s Preseason Diary Part 1

Join Munster’s Johnny Holland every week for the duration of preseason as he gives us a player’s insight into preparations for the coming season.

Part 1.

So here goes, new season and a new venture, welcome to my preseason diary.  As someone who likes new challenges, when the offer came my way I was both delighted and excited to put my writing skills to the test.  If nothing else, I hope that my diary will give you some insight into the immense work undertaken by both players and coaches alike in preseason.  It’s in these weeks that we lay the foundations for the season ahead so, along with MunsterRugby.ie’s extensive video coverage, I looking forward to documenting some of “the dreaded” preseason’s trials and tribulations from a player’s perspective, especially as we embark on a new era for Munster Rugby with the squad now based solely in UL.
 
This piece also sees me take over the diary mantle from my teammate Duncan Casey who did such a sterling job in recent seasons, big boots to fill, not sure I’ll do it justice Dunc, but I’ll give it a go!
 
At the end of May the squad broke up for the off-season. We are given a program and expected to stick to it. If you don't it's your own issue, but people will know. With that in mind we try to switch off but it isn't that easy. I find myself switching off for a couple of hours at a time and forgetting that I even play rugby which is great, until you remember preseason is still looming.  We all need a break and it is more than welcome but you have to remember how competitive we are. Lads have missed out on tours, we were watching Connacht win a league and most people are already thinking about how they are going to attack next season, the next opportunity to improve. 
 
My holidays this year were probably my favourite so far. I went to LA for 4 nights with my girlfriend, Chloe, before heading to Cabo. We went from full on tourists in LA to lazy sloths in a resort. But that was exactly what we wanted. I had already warned Chloe that I needed to get my training done. Yes, even on holidays. She is quite used to it at this stage and very patient with me so obviously she had no issue. I still have to look after my hamstring so I had to be on top of things, especially with all the travel. I was lucky this year that the hotel had such a good gym, more down to Chloe's research than mine to be honest. Training on holidays wasn't me being a nerd. Everyone has to do it and we know the consequences of not doing it. We won't make the targets set out by our strength and conditioning coaches, but more importantly, the more your load drops off and accelerates again because of preseason, the bigger chance of injury. Something that none of us need. Especially me! 
 
One of the toughest parts of holidays is trying to find the best place to eat. Trying to let my hair down and stuffing my face with chips and donuts, until the guilt comes back and I'm trying to find salmon and sweet potato. I get slagged for my food habits, eating too much sweet potato and bringing shakers with porridge in them when I'm hanging out with the lads. Maybe it's the Virgo in me, if you're into that kind of thing. Or maybe it's because the smaller fellas need to keep on top of things or we'll waste away completely. Whatever my reasoning, it's a bit of an obsession and definitely the hardest thing to switch off from. This obsession even affects my packing. While Chloe is worried about fitting in her makeup and outfits for each night, I make the conscious decision to pack a couple of kilos of protein supplements, kindly donated by our nutritionist, and whatever fits in after that is a plus! 
 
Rested and refreshed, before I knew it I was picking up the new kit and settling in to my new house in Limerick. The first day back is always a mix of excitement and a little anxiety which is only natural.  This year there are new coaches whom everyone will be out to impress, and from my own perspective, I need to hit the ground running to pick up from where I left off in May. 
 
We have also welcomed some new faces into the squad.  John Andress, already one of the chattiest guys in the squad, Sam Arnold, a bit quieter but a top guy, and my old academy teammate Darren O’Shea.  It’s great to see Dazzler back in the Munster fold and, in a throwback to our academy days, he and I are now living together.  All good guys, all easy to get along with and all have a lot to offer their different positions.
 
Speaking of new additions, with our internationals yet to return, a number of the academy lads are currently joining in on senior sessions.  I remember those days as an academy player.  You certainly don’t feel as if you are making up the numbers. I still remember being told I was going back to the academy sessions by Simon Mannix (then Assistant Coach). I had that conversation many times in the weeks before and was ready to tell him “No I'm not going back!” In reality, I muttered something along the lines of “OK thanks” and continued with my weights. But it’s a great opportunity and I’m looking forward to seeing which one of them really puts their hand up, there’s always at least one.
 
This experience with the senior squad drove my ambition to succeed.  It was a dose of reality, this was the standard I needed to reach and by their very nature academy players are close to the standard anyway, they just need an opportunity and playing amongst the senior lads will bring them on a lot.
 
Before I let you go this week, perhaps the question I get asked the most regarding preseason is, what are the parts I love and hate the most?  Starting with the good stuff, what I undoubtedly love is the competition, not just against others, but against yourself, trying to beat your previous bests.  As for what I hate, saying conditioning sessions would be just too obvious an answer. One of the main things I dislike is the amount of food I have to try squash in throughout the day. I know what you’re saying, ‘really Johnny, tough life eh?’  Now don’t get me wrong, I love food as much as the next person, but when you’re a small fella like me, eating never stops and three bowls of porridge a day can become a bit sickening!  That said it has to be done and I could have much bigger complaints.
 
So that’s it for this week, I hope you enjoyed the first entry and I look forward to catching you again next week by which time we will have taken things up another level and begun our reintroduction to rugby.  For more on what we’ve been doing in the gym and on-field these past two weeks, I’ll leave you in the capable hands of those who put us through our paces from dawn till dusk in preseason, our S&C coaches, who will explain all in the below videos. 
 
Talk to you next week,
Johnny.