The Big Interview: Kieran Shannon talks rugby with Macrus Horan

Few people are better positioned to survey the Munster rugby landscape than Marcus Horan. As IRUPA player development manager for the province, he gets to see and hear the challenges the modern player faces. He was coaching his beloved Shannon until a disappointing departure a few month ago. He’s seen how the club game is nearly dying and he has a keen appreciation of what his ‘big brother’ Anthony Foley did — and continues to do — for Munster.

‘WELL, what are you at now?’

It’s a question that Marcus Horan finds makes just about every former professional rugby player squirm a bit on the inside, and though it’s his job to help make current and past players more comfortable with it, he still finds it difficult enough to answer.