Magners form helps Hurley stay positive

DURING the Six Nations window, Munster prospered in the Magners League, picking up an unprecedented 14 points from a possible 15. In previous seasons they’d have watched their league hopes fade drastically, but this season progress was achieved minus the majority of their front-liners and mainly by those eager to make a permanent breakthrough onto the perceived best XV.

At the heart of their three successive wins over Edinburgh, Dragons and Glasgow was Denis Hurley, a name that resonated with Munster followers around this time last season after the west Cork-born full-back was called up for the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Gloucester, before keeping his place through to the triumphant final against Toulouse.

But a professional rugby player’s career is open to pitfalls and sudden turns in fortune. At the beginning of the season Hurley lost his place to Keith Earls, and at one stage was back playing club rugby with Cork Con. The twists and turns to his season continued when, later in the season, Earls moved to the centre and the versatile Paul Warwick became McGahan’s first-choice full-back.

Earlier this year news broke that Warwick looked set to join London Irish from next season, but now, with a new two-year deal agreed with Munster’s powerbrokers, the Australian is favourite now to wear No 15 against Leinster tomorrow and then Ospreys on April 12. Hurley understands his plight as he strives for a permanent spot on the team.

“Probably, this season more than any I’ve got to learn that,” says the 24-year-old. “You do your best, you work as hard as you can in training and put your best foot forward when you go out and play a game. You’ve done your best to try and prove you earned the jersey and after that you either get it or you don’t. It’s based on Tony’s decision or whatever way he wants to play a game.

“It can be tough to take but you take it on the chin and you just look forward to the next chance you get to play. You just have to stay positive. You have to be ready and give yourself any opportunity you can to put yourself forward.”

His season had also been cruelly interrupted by injury. Favoured to play full-back against the All Blacks in Thomond Park last November, he injured his knee in a warm-up against UL Bohs the week before that historic midweek clash.

The previous month, with Rua Tipoki injured, McGahan tinkered with the team, moving Earls to the centre and Warwick to full-back. Looking on from the outside, it cannot have been easy for Hurley, but he has endeavoured to stay positive and has fought his way back into contention for a place that looked his own 12 months ago.

“Initially, it was very hard to take. Obviously it was a once-off match — most of those players are never going to play against New Zealand again. It was a hard one to miss. At the end of the day, I’m young, I’m 24 so I’m going to give myself every opportunity in the long run. By staying positive, your game improves. If Tony says this is what you need to work on it can help your game, that’s what you just do. I still have the appetite for the game, I love it and I’m always going to be pushing myself forward.”

He has enjoyed the last few weeks with Munster and is delighted to see the Grand Slammers back in training.

“I think we’re getting to the stage even without the internationals, we know we’re strong enough as a squad to hold our own in the Magners League. It’s good for the international lads to come back to this as well.

“For them to come back and see we’re in the top position in the Magners League is great for them especially coming into this weekend when it’s a must-win game to stay top.

“We could be down a couple of points on Leinster, but this way we are ahead and to beat them this weekend would really put the pressure on them for the rest of the Magners League.”