Alex Nankivell buys into Munster rebuild with Ireland dream in sight
Alex Nankivell on possibly playing for Ireland: 'It might not happen but international rugby to me is the pinnacle, and to put myself in a position where I can do that is pretty exciting.' Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
Another Munster contract, another step closer to Ireland recognition, but former Maori All Black centre Alex Nankivell is more than satisfied with doubling down on being a part of what he sees a bright future in red.
Three years on from leaving Super Rugby’s Chiefs in the summer of 2023, the 29-year-old midfielder’s new two-year contract extension was announced on Tuesday keeping Munster’s players’ and supporters’ player of the year for 2026 at the province until at least 2029.
“It was very straightforward,” Nankivell said of the re-signing process. “Obviously the agent tries to do his job, but I was pretty happy, I wanted to stay.
“Then when that was all happy, Cossie, (general manager) Ian Costello, pulled me one day, sent it to my email and I signed about an hour later. So yeah, happy days.”
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Nankivell made his 58th appearance last Saturday against Racing 92 in a 33-25 Champions Cup pool opening win in Cork and he credits Munster with creating an atmosphere that makes such important career and life decisions easy to arrive at.
“That probably more shows what this club is about, how it makes people feel when they come here. That's Munster as a club, but also the people around the place, the supporters and everyone just makes me feel so welcome and it's just so easy to turn up and contribute that way. Everyone's got your back and, yeah, it's been easy so I'm very grateful for that.”
Costello, speaking in the contract announcement, cited Nankivell’s desire to become Irish qualified in 2028 and pursue an international career with Ireland.
“Well first and foremost it is purely Munster, we've gone to a stage where we're kind of rebuilding, and I want to be a part of that,” the centre said.
“So that's the first thing, but then obviously when you look at the years of when I've re-signed to, then obviously the international stuff and being qualified for Ireland comes into it then.
“I wouldn't think about that so much, but obviously it's there and look, it might not happen but international rugby to me is the pinnacle, and to put myself in a position where I can do that is pretty exciting. So I'll worry about what that looks like when it gets there and try and do it.”
For now, though, there is Saturday’s URC derby with Leinster to consider. The Kiwi-born midfielder likens the match-up to Super Rugby’s needle match between his Chiefs and serial title winners Crusaders.
“The Crusaders, obviously, their history of winning speaks for itself. They were always the top dogs and we were the guys that had gotten close but hadn't quite done it.
“So those games were always huge. It was a very similar kind of emotion. It was an intense week.
“The preparation was bone deep and there would have been a few scraps at training and things like that. So it just means a bit more. Obviously it's still another game in the URC that you want to win and get the most points you can out of.
“But I guess playing against guys you know really well but then also another province within the country that you're in, it just adds that more emotion. You want to get the bragging rights and things like that. So that's what it kind of feels like to me.
“Obviously Leinster have done amazingly well the last five, 10 years maybe so, I don’t really know, but obviously you want to win.”
Whatever about the Leinster rivalry, emotions were running high in Munster last week also as they prepared for a European rematch with Racing 92 on the 10th anniversary weekend of head coach Anthony Foley’s sudden death at the age of 42.
As a Munster player who joined seven years after the tragic event, Nankivell spoke of “Axel’s” ongoing impact on the current squad and the atmosphere created around last Saturday’s game at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, which had started the previous day when Foley’s widow Olive presented the team with their jerseys at the stadium.
“It was really special. I didn't have much experience with Axel, but last week was really cool for me because I learned a lot around what he actually contributed to the club off the field.
“Some of the sayings that we use, around the set-up in the changing room, that was his idea to put all the tighties together, the half-backs together, so they're all connected before the game. Things like that, just to see his legacy and the impact that it's still having on the club was pretty cool.
“Obviously, there's lads in the group, players and staff, that would have known him really well and would have played with him and coached with him.
“To see how special he was to them and the impact that he had on them made it easy for me just to buy into going out and first and foremost preparing really well for wrestling and then going out and putting on a performance that the other lads that knew him said he'd be really proud of. To be honest, I think we did that, which made it even more sweet after the game.”
Of the jersey presentation on the day of the anniversary, he added: “So it was pretty emotional. But then, Olive speaking, she's an amazingly strong woman and what she said, I guess, about him and what he might have said to her, seeing her go into the changing room was pretty hardcase.
“But the way she spoke was just really powerful and just made the lads kind of grow another leg. I'm sure they used it going into Saturday because it was very cool.
“She was on a pilgrimage in Italy and brought us back miraculous medals too. So there's probably something in that as well. But yeah, she's an amazing woman. She spoke really well and definitely motivated us even more to put on a good performance for him.”
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