Andrew Conway believes Calvin Nash has 'x-factor' 

Conway applauded Farrell’s decision to appoint Peter O’Mahony captain as successor to Johnny Sexton.

X-FACTOR: In attendance at Virgin Media Park in Cork ahead of VMTV’s coverage of the 2024 Six Nations, is Virgin Media Park ambassador Andrew Conway. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Andrew Conway has backed former Munster team-mate Calvin Nash to become a “serious, serious player” for Ireland following the in-form wing’s call up to Andy Farrell’s Six Nations squad.

The 2023 Grand Slam winners kick off their title defence against France in Marseille two weeks from today with Nash and Leinster flyer Jordan Larmour two possible options for the right-wing berth vacated by Mack Hansen following the Connacht and Ireland regular’s dislocated shoulder against Munster on January 1.

Both Larmour and Nash impressed in Champions Cup pool action last weekend, the Leinster wing scoring two tries as his side trounced Stade Francais at Aviva Stadium to book their place in the Round of 16 while the Munster man grabbed his side’s bonus-point try with a superb solo kick-chase effort to help defeat Toulon in France.

Conway, who retired at the age of 32 due to a persistent knee injury earlier this season following 50 tries in 150 appearances for Munster and 15 for Ireland in a 30-cap international career, believes Nash is coming to the boil at exactly the right time to impress Test boss Farrell.

“I think Calvin has done outstanding in any opportunity he’s got over the last two years,” Conway said yesterday at Virgin Media Park, the new name for Munster Rugby’s Musgrave Park stadium in Cork.

“He obviously had a really good run last year, you know, I was out all year, and he took full advantage of that and was playing incredible rugby.

“I definitely thought he was going to be a bolter for the World Cup, it was probably six months too early for him and I think what Faz looks for in players when they go through something that disappointing is how they react to it.

“He’s playing the best rugby he’s ever played and I think he’s got the all-round game to excel in the international stadiums. There is a bit of a difference and I think because it’s taken him a fair amount of time to get there it reminds me of how long it took me to get there.

“The advantage of that is he’s had five or six years of provincial rugby to hone his skill set. He has very few holes in his game. He’s an aggressive defender, he gets the technicalities, the systems, he’s naturally a very strong carrier and he’s now added a few strings to his bow in terms of his link play, getting in at first receiver.

“So you can go through the list of skills that are required to be a success at international and he’s got the X-factor. So the sky’s the limit for Calvin if he keeps playing and if he’s able to transfer his form for Munster to Ireland in a really, really strong Irish team he could be a serious, serious player for Ireland now, going forward.” 

Conway said he was looking forward to seeing how Ireland react following their World Cup quarter-final exit in France last October and applauded Farrell’s decision to appoint Peter O’Mahony captain as successor to Johnny Sexton.

“A new captain with Pete, taking over the mantle from Johnny seems like the most natural way to do it. And that first match, it goes without saying, it’s one of the most important matches to be either building momentum or you’re chasing your tail.

“There’s no tougher place to go than France but there’s no better coach in the world than Andy Farrell to have the lads energised and emotionally recharged after what was a very disappointing end to the World Cup tournament.”