The Shape I'm In: Alan Quinlan, ex-Munster and Ireland rugby player

EX-MUNSTER and Ireland rugby player Alan Quinlan has a whole new appreciation for the work of sports journalists since he retired in 2011.

Now a rugby analyst, working on TV and radio and writing a column, he is hugely enjoying his new trade, though he admits it has been a steep learning curve.

“It was a tough transition,” he says. “I was a player for 14 to 15 years — it’s a big change when you come out of the game. But I am enjoying it — it keeps me connected to the game. I don’t feel like it’s work.”