HAVING MADE HAY while the sun shone earlier this year, Calvin Nash had to deal with an altogether more frustrating November with Ireland.
The Munster wing started all five of Ireland’s Six Nations games earlier this year, scoring two tries as Andy Farrell’s side retained their title.
Nash was also on the right wing for both July Tests against the Springboks in South Africa as Farrell’s men claimed a dramatic victory in the second game in Durban.
But with Connacht man Mack Hansen returning from the shoulder injury that had opened the door for Nash, the latter found himself dropping out of the starting XV for the autumn.
27-year-old Nash was part of Ireland’s squad throughout their Autumn Nations Series campaign but didn’t get a chance to add to his eight caps as Hansen started all four games for Farrell’s team.
“It was obviously tough but I tried to take the good with the bad,” said Nash this week in Limerick.
“If I got stuck down on selection all the time, I’m going to affect the lads on the team as well and probably it won’t be a great atmosphere or attitude around training.
“So I tried to take some positives out of it, like rarely you’d get to train against such high-quality internationals and training’s always a quicker pace than a game so I thought if I can focus on training at such a quick pace then hopefully when I come back into Munster or if I get a game, I’ll be ready to go and I’ll be sharp.
“I just tried to focus on that and I still have a lot I’d like to improve in my game so there were areas I was trying to focus on in training and get better in training and try to bring back into Munster and practice that here. So just take as many positives as I can, I suppose.”
Nash underlines that Hansen is “an unbelievable player” who has been “class” for Ireland in the past. He knew it was going to be competitive but Nash was hoping for another chance to build on his form in green earlier this year.
There were conversations with Farrell and backs coach Andrew Goodman but Nash just had to get on with being a positive influence in training.
“I had a conversation with Goody and I had a conversation with Faz as well and yeah, it’s grand. I’ll get better from it.”
Nash is back in Munster mode now, having returned for the province in last weekend’s pleasing Champions Cup bonus-point win over Stade Français.
He was disappointed not to get more touches of the ball and wanted to feature on the scoresheet but it wasn’t for lack of trying. The GPS data showed he was doing a lot of running but sometimes the ball doesn’t seem to pop up to reward that effort.
And yet, Nash is cognisant that he can’t go chasing things or trying too hard to make magic happen.
“I think at the start of the URC campaign that’s probably what I fell into the trap of, trying to be the standout of every second of the game and putting too much pressure on myself,” he said. “That’s what I felt in the first few games.
“I started to relax then towards the Sharks game and felt like I had a great game against the Sharks so that’s probably something I need to do, just stop putting so much pressure on myself and just back myself.
“I feel like I do put pressure on myself because I just want to get better all the time and be better all the time. I don’t want people to catch up to me or pass me out so I try to put pressure on myself to be better as much as I can, sometimes maybe too much. I think it’s good for me, still, I probably just need to catch myself sometimes.”
Nash has been impressed with new Munster wing Thaakir Abrahams, who is starting to show his class after returning from injury, while centurion Shane Daly remains a key part of the back three.
They’re gearing up for a big challenge tomorrow night as Munster face Castres in France.
“Well definitely at home it’s going to be a massive physical battle,” said Nash. “We know they can be very clinical when they get inside oppositions’ 22s so trying to limit their entries will be key for us.
“Just matching their physicality. At the end of the day it’s a game of rugby and a lot of it comes down to physicality so managing that and hopefully things will fall into place.”
Super attitude, he oozes class. Did so well in the 6N. Very unlucky in Autumn series but is very well placed for time in green.
Nash was totally shafted in Nov.
Hansen had no form going in and was totally outplayed by Stockdale in the inter pro.
Yet Hansen got 4 starts and was average.
Baffling from Farrell.
Not sure he actually watches provincial matches!
@Oran Burns: think Hansen’s playmaking ability is valued highly by Ireland (can see why). Probably usually the November tests to get him primed for Six Nations (where he’s a shoe-in). It’s harsh on Nash, but I still wince when I see him fail to make a fairly straightforward tackle on Freeman, which led to England’s opening score, and subsequent victory
@Oran Burns: Maybe they see Hansen as having a higher ceiling and were trying to play him back into form. Hopefully he and Munster will benefit from the higher level of training in the international camp. 6 weeks between games is not ideal for any player.
@Sam Bingham: well Lowe and hansen both have a catalogue of poor – non tackles as well , he did well apart from that one moment.
Felt he deserved to start against Fiji and the Wallabies after the series in SA
@Oran Burns: Hansen has the X factor that our other wingers don’t. He makes things happen when nothing’s obvious. Nash is a great worker, but he is not Hansen.
@Noel Lynn: you’re right he’s not hansen, he’s better than him
@Noel Lynn: none of that x factor was on display in the games he played. Nash deserving of at least one game.
@Cian Halley: no, he’s really not.
Nash was dropped in favour of a much superior player in Hansen. Not much more to it than that.
@Aidan Farrell: he’d want to start showing it so wouldn’t he
@Cian Halley: nah Hansen is just here for a pay cheque and live a celebrity style lifestyle on the pints in galway. was the only player that breached team orders during the world cup.
@Niall English: yeah with all the Hollywood A listers in Galway. He’s needs to come back down to earth ..
Not sure why Davidson article doesn’t allow comments. Castre have won all 6 home (including victories over ST and LRO) and lost all 5 away games this season . If you are lucky to host them, it’s a handy 5 points against their espoirs. If you have to play away to them, it’s a huge challenge. The luck of the draw!
@Michael Corkery: I can’t believe they didn’t renew his contract- because he really made them a solid team 4th on their funds is nearly a miracle- also at home they are near on unbeatable.
I think he will be at Montpellier or maybe back at brive if they come up because his body of work is very impressive
@damien reidy: not sure why hes never mentioned as as Munster candidate.
@Kingshu: Neither – here in France he very well respected as a coach and Munster could do worse then talk to him but I don’t think he would go back to Ireland- he is fluent in French has lived here for the best part of 20years now
@damien reidy: he seems to understand the French mentality- he mentioned being less hard on the technical aspects compared to Anglo Saxon players and more in tune with the emotive side. His home/away record this season highlights that immersion in French ways. Not winning a single away game would not be acceptable in Munster but completely acceptable in France as long as the home crowd are satisfied every 2nd weekend
@Michael Corkery: it’s the key ingredient especially in the midi pryness , it’s something that stuart Lancaster is struggling with and Rog got it almost immediately.
I work in Construction in the northern midi pryness and you have to understand the way its done including the family vibe and village/ commune
Conversation is very important to have time for everyone
@damien reidy: absolument as they say. That’s the emotional intelligence of those guys. You wonder if Schmidt would have had the same success in France – I know he was an excellent assistant but Vern Cotter was also a guy who really bought into the local culture / way of doing things. Even spoke French with a thick Auvergnat accent.
@Michael Corkery: just to complete my point, would Schmidt have been as strict on the process which the Leinster/ Irish players really bought into or would he have adapted to a more spontaneous approach. I think.Lancaster will learn if given the time.
Frawley was dropped after a poor 15 mins, hansen had 4 poor games and yet nash was totally shafted despite him being in super form (and don’t hit me with the he’s unproven at international level that I get with coombes because we all know that’s not true, he’s more than proven and capable)
@Cian Halley: completely agree … i like Mack alot but he did get a free run and by the Fiji game it was clear he is out of form .
Just don’t understand how you can slip out of the match day squad completely when 3 months earlier you were nailed on
@damien reidy: You’d think they’d have rested Hansen against Fiji at least and given Nash a much deserved start. Farrell is popular with players but his man management has to come under scrutiny when he’s not willing to back players in the wider squad. I don’t want to get into usual provincial rivalries but it’s very hard to justify ignoring the form and experience of some provincial players in favour of those who played well with u20s. It doesn’t send the right message to provincial players. It feels like the national team is a closed shop.
@damien reidy: 100%
@mcdb06: I totally agree,
Andy farrells selection policy baffles me. Flogs some lads ie porter josh beirn, then doesn’t play some lads, one thing I would say he does well is notice players like Osborne as full back, frawley as 10, Leo Cullen to me is bluffing his career in my opion.
@Treaty Jim: The lack of squad rotation has been a big problem with Irish teams down the years. Its harder to get out of the starting squad then into it. This is always amplified in RWCs when we get a few injuries and the replacements who come in don’t have the experience or match fitness to get the win. I think we’re the only top tier nation that is afraid to back the wider squad.
Hansen and Lowe had awful Autumn series. International rugby is not the place to find your form, that’s for the URC.Nash would have been well worth a run, Stockdale got his and unfortunately injured since.
Also how is it that munster and sometimes connacht wingers have such cool names e.g shay Mccarthy kilgallen nash Conway earls hansen Bolton shane daly etc