It’s up to me to prove myself again, insists Hurley

MUNSTER fullback Denis Hurley insists he is unfazed at seemingly falling out of favour ahead of the province’s opening Heineken Cup encounter with Montauban at Thomond Park on Friday.

Hurley played a key role in Munster’s march to their second European title last season, starting all three games in the knockout stages as former coach Declan Kidney plunged him and Tomás O’Leary in at the deep end at the expense of experienced campaigners Shaun Payne and Peter Stringer.

However, the emergence of Keith Earls as the coming man of Munster rugby has forced the 24-year-old out of the side, and he was back on All-Ireland League duty with Cork Constitution at the weekend.