• Home
  • /
  • Rugby
  • /
  • 'It Wrecked My Confidence In A Way. I Was Like, 'This Guy's Ahead Of Me'

'It Wrecked My Confidence In A Way. I Was Like, 'This Guy's Ahead Of Me'

'It Wrecked My Confidence In A Way. I Was Like, 'This Guy's Ahead Of Me'
PJ Browne
By PJ Browne
Share this article

JJ Hanrahan was disappointed to not be included in Andy Farrell's 45-man Ireland training squad which meets this weekend for what has been called a "stocktake".

Ross Byrne, Jonathan Sexton, Joey Carbery and Billy Burns were the out-halves included in the group.

Due to injuries to both Carbery and Tyler Bleyendaal, Hanrahan has been Munster's first choice number ten this season.

"I don't think I've played more than three or four games consecutively ever [at 10], I'd say," the Kerryman told TG4 ahead of Saturday evening's game against Connacht.

"Unfortunately, that's come through injuries for the lads.

"Overall, just getting that run of games and being able to learn and be better each week from a mistake the week before has been great."

Recommended

The 27-year-old still holds an ambition to play for Ireland. He believes that at one point in his career, he allowed negative thoughts regarding where he stood in the Ireland pecking order to ruin his confidence.

Advertisement

"I don't think there are many Irish players who don't have that ambition," he said.

"I held onto that ambition too tightly. Then, when other people got ahead of me, it wrecked my confidence in a way. I was like, 'This guy's ahead of me, that guy's ahead of me'.

"All I was seeing was the negativity of it. All my energy was wasted worrying about what other guys were doing as opposed to what I'm doing myself.

Advertisement

"It's a little bit disappointing. I'd love to have got in the door and show what I can do. It's an ambition but I'm not looking at it every day. I'm looking at getting better every day."

Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Rory Best: 'I Just Felt A Wee Bit Let Down That It Looked Like I Threw Him Under The Bus'

Join The Monday Club Have a tip or something brilliant you wanted to share on? We're looking for loyal Balls readers free-to-join members club where top tipsters can win prizes and Balls merchandise

Processing your request...

You are now subscribed!

Share this article

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. Developed by Square1 and powered by PublisherPlus.com

Advertisement