JJ Hanrahan backs young No.10 Charlie O'Shea to deliver for Munster

O'Shea, who captained Christians to Munster Senior Cup success in 2025, is highly rated by the province

CLINICAL: CBC captain Charlie O'Shea kicks a penalty during the Pinergy Boys Schools U19 Munster Senior Cup final at Virgin Media Park in 2025. Picture: Dan Linehan

Charlie O’Shea’s first senior competitive start for Munster will come just a month since joining the provincial academy when he kicks off against the Bulls at Thomond Park on Saturday night.

That may come very soon for a 20-year-old but the UCC fly-half has impressed his peers and coaches sufficiently in his prior two outings to earn the number 10 jersey at URC level and he has the backing of veteran playmaker JJ Hanrahan, the man he has replaced.

O’Shea was Hanrahan’s replacement in the URC season opener against Glasgow Warriors last Saturday, playing the last 11 minutes in Limerick to back up his assured, try-scoring start in the pre-season fixture with Leicester Tigers in Cork on September 18.

Charlie O'Shea celebrates with teammates and supporters after scoring against Leicester Tigers at Virgin Media Park. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

One of 11 changes from the side beaten 26-20 by the Scots, O’Shea partners matchday captain and scrum-half Craig Casey, making his seasonal debut, while there is a debut for summer signing Jack Aungier at tighthead prop and a first start for South Africa hooker Marnus van der Merwe, replacing the injured Diarmuid Barron. Shane Daly starts at full-back for knee injury victim Mike Haley while Seán Edogbo stands in for Jack O’Donoghue at blindside flanker, and Seán O’Brien moves from inside to outside centre as Dan Kelly covers for the absent Alex Nankivell. 

Shay McCarthy replaces try-scorer Ben O’Connor on the left wing, Tom Ahern comes in for Evan O’Connell at lock while John Hodnett at openside flanker and No.8 Brian Gleeson come in for Alex Kendellen and Gavin Coombes respectively.

Ireland loosehead prop Jeremy Loughman is named on the bench, with last week’s starting tighthead Kieran Brookes included as cover at hooker, with Ronan Foxe the back-up for Aungier. 

Also kept in reserve will be the 34-year-old Hanrahan following an impressive stint at 10 in the absence of injured Jack Crowley. The Kerry-born playmaker is, however, full of praise for O’Shea and his fellow academy fly-half, Tom Wood, currently rehabbing from shoulder surgery.

“It's been funny. When I think back to where I was back then with them coming in and maybe some fellas that were in my shoes back then, it's funny to see them the other way around,” Hanrahan said.

“They both have been excellent when they've both come in. They've both come off brilliant (Ireland) U20s campaigns. 

Charlie went unbelievable in the World Cup, Tom had a great Six Nations.

“They're coming in, they're exuberant, they're full of energy, full of life. There's loads of learning that they want to do as well and they're not afraid to ask questions and to get stuck into it. It's excellent to see. They're both going to have long careers.” 

Adapting

Hanrahan acknowledges O’Shea and Wood are finding their feet in pro rugby in a much different era than when he joined the Munster academy in 2011, not least in the levels of support from senior squad members but their job-sharing attack coaches Jared Payne and Mossy Lawler.

“I think the whole thing is that everything is happening quicker for younger players now. I think the level of coaching that they're getting at U20s level or 18s is higher than what I would have got back then.

Munster Rugby Squad Training, UL, Limerick 29/9/2026

“That's not disrespect to the coaches, just the game has moved on completely. 

Everything is coming quicker and faster for younger players these days. For me, all we can do, and it's not just me, there's Jack, there's Craig, there's Will Harrison helping as well.

“We all just go around the computer, sit down together, talk about pictures that we see. Opportunities that we think, maybe we could do this, maybe we could do it a bit different. This is what I see in this scenario, for example.

“We just chat it out and talk through things. There's a little bit of stuff I'm kicking here and there that they want to talk about 100%. 

“You just have to go with the times and learn and adapt. I think Jared has been excellent with that. Mossy has been excellent with that. All the coaches are just different.

“We're constantly trying to find different ways to help all of us, because we all learn different ways. Whether it's through walkthroughs, whether it's through videos, whether it's through writing stuff down, giving images and PDFs out all the time.

“So, yeah, there's loads of ways, questioning. It's been really good.”

MUNSTER: Shane Daly; Diarmuid Kilgallen, Seán O’Brien, Dan Kelly, Shay McCarthy; Charlie O’Shea, Craig Casey (c); Michael Milne, Marnus van der Merwe, Jack Aungier; Tom Ahern, Fineen Wycherley; Seán Edogbo, John Hodnett, Brian Gleeson.

Replacements: Kieran Brookes, Jeremy Loughman, Ronan Foxe, Evan O’Connell, Gavin Coombes, Ben O’Donovan, JJ Hanrahan, Alex Kendellen.

BULLS: Hakeem Kunene, Sebastian de Klerk, Stedman Gans, Stravino Jacobs, Thaakir Abrahams, Curwin Bosch, Zak Burger, Alu Tshakweni, Juann Else, Francois Klopper, Ruan Vermaak, Reinhardt Ludwig, Marcell Coetzee (c), Hanro Liebenberg, Jeandre Rudolph.

Replacements: Janco Uys, Sti Sithole, Khutha Mchunu, JF van Heerden, Nizaam Carr, Paul de Wet, Cheswill Jooste, Willie le Roux.