‘You lose your identity overnight. You’re not Johnny Holland the rugby player any more’

Former Munster out-half Johnny Holland was forced to retire from rugby in September 2016, two days after his 25th birthday, due to a recurring hamstring injury. Now, the Cork Con backs coach is launching his wellness and performance coaching workshops.

Q: Looking at the workshops you’re offering, “resilience and psychological strength” and “the power of personal wellness”, I’m struck by how you’ve embraced your injury rather than block it out. Has that helped you deal with it?

A: I learned a lot from my injury. I don’t think I would’ve got where I am now or where I got to on the rugby pitch without it. My career progressed massively while I was off the pitch. I learned a lot about myself, my mentality and whether I could get through something like that. I came out the other side a more mature player. There were parts of it done completely on my own, which tested your mettle in terms of how much you actually wanted something and how long you can stay in the battle when it’s going against you.