Late call-up JJ Hanrahan excels
When the time came, JJ Hanrahan was ready to step into the breach.
A late call into Munster’s starting XV when first-choice fly-half Joey Carbery reported a tight hamstring in training, Hanrahan grabbed his opportunity with both hands and a solid right boot to guide his team to a 30-5 victory over French champions Castres that keeps them on top of Heineken Champions Cup Pool 2 with three games played and another three to go.
It was a performance that saw him named man-of-the-match by host broadcaster BT Sport after he kicked 15 points in the form of two penalties and three conversions for a 100% return and also scored the third and final try for the home side to the delight of the Thomond Park crowd.
Hanrahan had started the previous weekend in the Guinness PRO14 as Munster thumped Edinburgh 44-14 but had left Cork’s Musgrave Park having made only two of his six conversion attempts.
Yet this was a display that was his most accomplished at number 10 since his return from an injury-hit two-year stint at Northampton Saints in the summer of 2017, the Kerry man managing the game expertly and with variety to take heed of head coach Johann van Graan’s pre-game warnings that Munster would be punished for playing too much rugby and chasing the “fool’s gold” being offered by Castres.
It certainly caught the attention of Munster captain Peter O’Mahony, who believe this could be a turning point in Hanrahan’s season, albeit in the context of competition for the 10 jersey with not just Carbery but also Tyler Bleyendaal, Bill Johnston and Ian Keatley.
“He’s made some big decisions in his career and he’s headed away from the place we all love and came back to us and he’s been unbelievable for us since he’s come back,” O’Mahony said.
“He’s been asked to play in a couple of positions and it’s been difficult at times for him but there’s a huge strength of character there and you see a guy who wasn’t in during the week step in and perform like that, it’s the biggest test of all to come in late like that.
He’s a big-game character and it’s been great to have him back the last couple of months.[/quoate]
As for the competition for places, Hanrahan recognised his place in the Munster scheme of things as he collected his man of the match award.
“Joey was unlucky to pull up and it was unfortunate for him,” he said.
“There is plenty of competition here in Munster between myself Tyler, Bill and Keats, anyone would have stepped in and done a job.
“That first half was one of the toughest I’ve been involved in. As number 10 no matter who is wearing the shirt in Munster it always helps when the pack is going forward.
“We’re happy overall but it is going to be a tough ask next week going to Castres. We went down there last year and dug out a draw. It will be really tough next week but we’ll go again.”
And so too might Hanrahan.
