WHEN HE WAS first breaking through with Munster as a 20-year-old in 2012, there were plenty of people who thought JJ Hanrahan would spend his entire career with the province.
The Kerry man himself was possibly thinking it would work out that way, but life makes a fool of best-laid plans.
Hanrahan is now 33 and he’s back with Munster for a third spell at his native province.
His first stint away lasted only two years in Northampton but his second stretch out of the red jersey went on for double that time. He played for Clermont in France, the Dragons in Wales, then Connacht after leaving Munster in 2021.
And now he’s back for a third and final stint with the team he loves.
“Look, I loved my time at Connacht, and actually there’s nothing I could say bad about Connacht,” said Hanrahan this week. “I loved my time in Galway, and I think Galway definitely has a place in my heart forevermore.
“Myself and my wife loved it up there as well, but look, the bottom line was I was still based in Limerick, I was doing a lot of commuting.
“When the opportunity comes to play for your home province… If someone asked you to put on an Irish jersey, what would you say? It’s the same feeling for me in terms of wearing the red jersey.
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“Some people think I’m mad, but I love the place, I love Munster. Even when I was playing against them, it was weird, I was still a fan. I still wanted to beat them when I was away, but there’s nothing better for me than playing for Munster.”
Hanrahan with a fan at Rockwell College, his old school. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Returning this summer for pre-season, Hanrahan was met by lots of familiar faces but also enjoyed having to introduce himself to many people he had never come across before.
A big group of his old friends have moved on recently and the out-half said it’s refreshing to feel the new energy in Munster’s high performance centre.
His team-mates have been slagging him that he will be getting his “third first cap” for Munster when the URC season kicks off in the coming weeks, but Hanrahan underlined that he doesn’t feel he’s coming back to the province to prove any point.
He just wants to enjoy his rugby, express himself, and help Clayton McMillan’s team to progress. The new Kiwi head coach’s arrival has been exciting for Hanrahan, who was also drawn back to Munster by the chance to work with attack coach Mike Prendergast.
Having dipped his toe into coaching with Corinthians in Galway last season while he was out with an ACL injury, Hanrahan has parked that side of things to focus fully on his own career over this two-year contract with Munster.
He came across as relaxed and confident in his own skin while speaking to the media this week. That is partly because of the different experiences Hanrahan has been through since leaving Munster for the second time in 2021.
“[I'm] definitely very different as a person, for sure,” he said. “I think I’ve learned loads about myself. You look back and you’re like, ‘Oh, if I did this or I did that’. You can’t. You just learn loads about yourself.
“You go away, myself and my missus, and the dog, and now a baby. That becomes your unit, you know what I mean? You realise that you don’t have the comforts of home when you go away. It’s just you, and how you react to things, and how you deal with pressures in different places and learn different languages, and try and speak to French internationals, things like that.
Hanrahan in action with Gloucester last weekend. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
“You pick up and you develop as you go along. I think coming back, you try and bring all those experiences with you.”
Hanrahan has reflected that “maybe once or twice in my career I could have had a little bit more patience,” but he doesn’t come across as having any big regrets. He has taken his own path in rugby and he’s content with where he finds himself now.
So he’s eager to get down to business at out-half in Munster, where he will compete with Jack Crowley and Tony Butler.
“I said it from early days, I remember one or two people were asking me, ‘What do you make of Jack?’ I was like, ‘I think he’s the next Irish out-half.’ I said it back then,” said Hanrahan.
“I think he’s an incredible talent, and he’s in a good battle in that Irish jersey at the moment. I can see him definitely progressing and pushing on. I think he’s a really, really good player in terms of his physicality in defence, number one. His understanding of the game. He has a good athletic profile. He’s able to carry. He’s able to pass, able to kick. So, yeah, he’s very impressive.
“And then talk about Tony. Tony’s obviously probably where I was years ago as a younger player coming through, and he’s coming through nicely as well, developing himself.
“I suppose under Mossy [Lawler] and Mike there’s loads of learning to get out of every session, and there’s good communication between all of us, so it’s been really good.”
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'I love the place. There's nothing better for me than playing for Munster'
WHEN HE WAS first breaking through with Munster as a 20-year-old in 2012, there were plenty of people who thought JJ Hanrahan would spend his entire career with the province.
The Kerry man himself was possibly thinking it would work out that way, but life makes a fool of best-laid plans.
Hanrahan is now 33 and he’s back with Munster for a third spell at his native province.
His first stint away lasted only two years in Northampton but his second stretch out of the red jersey went on for double that time. He played for Clermont in France, the Dragons in Wales, then Connacht after leaving Munster in 2021.
And now he’s back for a third and final stint with the team he loves.
“Look, I loved my time at Connacht, and actually there’s nothing I could say bad about Connacht,” said Hanrahan this week. “I loved my time in Galway, and I think Galway definitely has a place in my heart forevermore.
“Myself and my wife loved it up there as well, but look, the bottom line was I was still based in Limerick, I was doing a lot of commuting.
“When the opportunity comes to play for your home province… If someone asked you to put on an Irish jersey, what would you say? It’s the same feeling for me in terms of wearing the red jersey.
“Some people think I’m mad, but I love the place, I love Munster. Even when I was playing against them, it was weird, I was still a fan. I still wanted to beat them when I was away, but there’s nothing better for me than playing for Munster.”
Returning this summer for pre-season, Hanrahan was met by lots of familiar faces but also enjoyed having to introduce himself to many people he had never come across before.
A big group of his old friends have moved on recently and the out-half said it’s refreshing to feel the new energy in Munster’s high performance centre.
His team-mates have been slagging him that he will be getting his “third first cap” for Munster when the URC season kicks off in the coming weeks, but Hanrahan underlined that he doesn’t feel he’s coming back to the province to prove any point.
He just wants to enjoy his rugby, express himself, and help Clayton McMillan’s team to progress. The new Kiwi head coach’s arrival has been exciting for Hanrahan, who was also drawn back to Munster by the chance to work with attack coach Mike Prendergast.
Having dipped his toe into coaching with Corinthians in Galway last season while he was out with an ACL injury, Hanrahan has parked that side of things to focus fully on his own career over this two-year contract with Munster.
He came across as relaxed and confident in his own skin while speaking to the media this week. That is partly because of the different experiences Hanrahan has been through since leaving Munster for the second time in 2021.
“[I'm] definitely very different as a person, for sure,” he said. “I think I’ve learned loads about myself. You look back and you’re like, ‘Oh, if I did this or I did that’. You can’t. You just learn loads about yourself.
“You go away, myself and my missus, and the dog, and now a baby. That becomes your unit, you know what I mean? You realise that you don’t have the comforts of home when you go away. It’s just you, and how you react to things, and how you deal with pressures in different places and learn different languages, and try and speak to French internationals, things like that.
“You pick up and you develop as you go along. I think coming back, you try and bring all those experiences with you.”
Hanrahan has reflected that “maybe once or twice in my career I could have had a little bit more patience,” but he doesn’t come across as having any big regrets. He has taken his own path in rugby and he’s content with where he finds himself now.
So he’s eager to get down to business at out-half in Munster, where he will compete with Jack Crowley and Tony Butler.
“I said it from early days, I remember one or two people were asking me, ‘What do you make of Jack?’ I was like, ‘I think he’s the next Irish out-half.’ I said it back then,” said Hanrahan.
“I think he’s an incredible talent, and he’s in a good battle in that Irish jersey at the moment. I can see him definitely progressing and pushing on. I think he’s a really, really good player in terms of his physicality in defence, number one. His understanding of the game. He has a good athletic profile. He’s able to carry. He’s able to pass, able to kick. So, yeah, he’s very impressive.
“And then talk about Tony. Tony’s obviously probably where I was years ago as a younger player coming through, and he’s coming through nicely as well, developing himself.
“I suppose under Mossy [Lawler] and Mike there’s loads of learning to get out of every session, and there’s good communication between all of us, so it’s been really good.”
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J&J JJ Hanrahan Munster Third Time's a Charm