Introducing Denis Hurley

Originally from Kells in Co Meath Denis Hurley was educated in St Munchin’s and UCC and is another member of the Munster Academy who has come through to senior ranks.

He made his senior competitive debut in the famous Stradey Park in the Magners League game against Llanelli Scarlets in May of last year.  This season, combining his studies with a Development contract, he came on as a replacement in the game against US Eagles in Chicago, but injured an ankle and remained sidelined before making an impressive return against Edinburgh in Musgrave Park earlier this month.

Favourite Food:   A nice juicy steak is always good but quite partial to fresh fish with a tasty sauce.
Book you are currently reading or have just finished:   Moss Keane’s autobiography.
Favourite TV programme:    Prison Break –  especially with a pot of tea and a packet of biscuits.
Favourite Film:     Snatch.
Most enjoyable holiday location:   Lahinch for a weekend during the summer, plenty to do.
Favourite sport other than rugby:   Funnily enough for a Meath man like myself it would be hurling.
The sport you least like:   Baseball has to be the most boring sport to watch.
Person you would most like to meet:   Tommy Tiernan – has to be the funniest man in Ireland.
Sportsperson you admire most:   Martin Johnson.
Hobbies:   College I suppose, keeps some sanity from rugby, and watching films.
Where and when did you first play rugby:   Navan RFC when I was about 5 years old.
Biggest influence on career:   Definitely my aul fella, he lives and breathes the game.
Best career advice you were given:   Always have a backup career.
What you like Most/Least about being a rugby player:  A career can be made out playing a sport you love / not a fan of tackling the likes of Mushy in training.
Other sports that you played:   Football, hurling, tennis, athletics, golf.
Best rugby memory:   Winning All-Ireland U-20’s with UCC a few years ago.
Rugby Player you admire most:   Shaun Payne, dunno how he’s still as fit as he is at his age.
Rugby team you admire most:   Fiji  at the World Cup played real open rugby that was a exciting to watch.
Sporting event you would most like to attend:   Wimbledon.
If you weren’t a pro rugby player what would you be:   I would probably be in marketing or something like that.
Plans for life after rugby and what provision have you made:   Early days yet as to what I’ll end up doing but I have a degree in Commerce from UCC and I’m currently doing a post-grad in accounting and corporate finance.
Advice you would give to aspiring pro rugby player:   Enjoy it while it lasts but have outside interests or qualifications for when it
finishes.

Three people you would invite to dinner and why:   Tommy Tiernan, Hector and George Bush, just sit back and enjoy the show!!