Limerick winger Calvin Nash looking to continue rise at Munster Rugby

TWENTY five-year-old Limerick winger Calvin Nash has more reason than most to remember Munster Rugby's United Rigby Championship interprovincial derby win over Connacht at Thomond Park on Saturday night.

The former Crescent College Comprehensive star scored his first Thomond Park try for Munster in the side's 24-17 bonus point win over their provincial rivals.

Nash, who made his senior debut for Munster away to Edinburgh in February 2017, revealed that it was only after Saturday night's game that he realised it was his first time to score for the province in a senior fixture at the Limerick venue.

"I actually didn’t know that at the time, someone said it to me over the week, and I was like, ‘I’ve definitely scored a try at Thomond Park. I have to have?’. It’s class, I was surprised with the stat!," Nash said.

“It’s always nice to score some tries, but I’d always be onto Craig (Casey) about giving me that ball. In training he doesn’t really give it to me! I don’t have to give him stick now for not giving me the ball."

With the huge level of competition for places in the back-three positions at Munster, Nash has had to remain patient in his quest for regular gametime. The Young Munster clubman has made three starts for Munster this season and has impressed on the Emerging Ireland tour to South Africa earlier in the season and caught the eye for the Ireland 'A' side in their defeat to an All-Blacks selection at the RDS.

Nash said: "It's tough when you come out of school because a lot of time you back yourself, you're like, 'I'm good enough, I'm good enough, I need an opportunity', that kind of way, and I feel that can be frustrating sometime for young players.

"You just need to stay at it and be patient, but be working hard in the background."

Nash says the style of game the province's new attack coach Mike Prendergast is implementing suits him.

"I think Prendy (Mike Prendergast) coming in, the game suits me a bit more and I feel like I’m a bit more involved, and I feel like that’s kind of the way Ireland are going as well: they want their wingers more involved," Nash said.

"That’s kind of been a focus for me, being involved more, whether it’s showing up as an option off 10 or nine, just trying to be in different positions all the time.

"I’m happy that my form is along the same as the teams I’ve been in, and I feel I’ve learned a lot; from Emerging Ireland through to getting the call-up to the main squad with Ireland, and coming back here, I’m trying to put everything I learned into practice."