ALEX NANKIVELL USED some recent time off to spend a few days in Amsterdam. Being able to hop around around Europe is one of the biggest upsides the New Zealander has found since joining Munster in the summer of 2023.
Across a busy 18-months the 28-year-old has headed down to Portugal three times, alongside trips to Valencia, Greece, London, and a summer spin over to America with some of his Munster teammates. When the schedule doesn’t allow for journeys outside of Ireland, Nankivell has travelled around the province, spending time in West Cork. He still hopes to get across to Wicklow and to explore the north of the island. A new two-year contract will allow plenty of time for all of that.
It’s safe to say the move has worked out for all involved and that Nankivell has long let go of any concerns that come with moving to the other side of the world. Before he arrived, Doug Howlett, Rhys Marshall and John Ryan – who spent time at the Chiefs when Nankivell was still with the Super Rugby club – all offered words of encouragement that helped seal the deal.
“The best thing about it is it’s actually so different to New Zealand and I probably wasn’t expecting it to be that different,” Nankivell says.
The New Zealander recently signed a new two-year contract with Munster. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“Obviously with the weather and stuff like that, I thought that would play a part and it has, but in terms of like what the coaches offer to us it’s amazing, it’s world class.
“So I guess to be able to start again and learn a lot from these guys that have a different view on the game and teach it differently has been very cool and I probably haven’t still fully gotten used to that.
“I’m still adjusting and still trying to change my habits to what they want. So it has been cool in terms of that, and I guess with the weather you can be a bit more abrasive and when you’re at Thomond Park and the Munster supporters are behind you, it’s pretty easy to run into a couple of shoulders or try and hit someone. So yeah, it’s definitely cool for my rugby learning and my rugby experience.”
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He’s quickly formed a bond with his new teammates. One of Nankivell’s visits to Portugal was based around a pre-season training camp at The Campus in Quinta do Lago, an idea suggested by Jack Crowley after the out-half had visited the facility with the Ireland squad. The two were joined by Tyrone footballer Conor Meyler, who is studying a PhD in the TUS Limerick campus and has become familiar with some of the Munster squad.
Nankivell is new to Gaelic Games but was blown away by Meyler’s physical condition.
“(How) Those footballers train, ah, it’s too much for me to be fair,” he says.
“I was more surprised by how driven, like he’s so driven, whether it be rehab or… like he just had knee surgery so he couldn’t do a lot of on-feet stuff, but the amount of stuff he does… We’d be finished the day, done our training in the morning and we’d be doing something and then he’d be like, ‘oh lads, I need to go back to the Campus and do a bit more rehab.’
“It was crazy but I said that to him, maybe you need to get the balance right a bit more because us rugby players, we’re a bit more on the chill side than that.”
Pressed on the two GAA codes, Nankivell admits to being more of a hurling man, and while he’s the proud owner of a Limerick jersey he’s yet to take in a live game.
I like watching hurling, just the speed of it and the appreciation for how fast the ball is traveling because I used to play cricket back home in New Zealand and had to stop because I was scared of the fastball. Like, that thing’s moving!”
The New Zealand centre shares a house in Limerick with his teammates Alex Kendellan and Paddy Patterson, and explains how the connections he’s made off the pitch have helped him settle in on it.
“Life off the pitch, I’m really happy. The boys are a really tight group and I’ve made some good mates already, and then when there’s time off with rugby there’s always offers to come down to West Cork or go to one of the boy’s houses and they’ll look after me or organise a trip to go elsewhere. Things are going really good.”
His new deal keeps Nankivell with Munster until at least 2027. It’s a smart bit of business by the province. Last season he played 19 games for Munster, starting 18. He’s already a leader in the Munster backline and the summer exit of Antoine Frisch has only heightened his importance to the team.
Nankivell has quickly become a key man for Munster. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
The player himself feels the best is still to come. He’s just come back from a hip injury and will be key figure for the province in their Champions Cup campaign, which kicks-off against Stade Francais today [KO 5.30pm, RTÉ 2/Premier Sports 1].
“Like, I don’t want to come for a couple of years and contribute to a team then have to leave again when you’re just starting to feel comfortable around the whole game and getting your confidence around it.
“So I was stoked when the coaches came to me and said they wanted to keep me and it was going to work out. Yeah, I’m very happy to be staying here.
When I was at the Chiefs it was the same thing, the people always kind of made my experience and the relationships that you make, they’re always probably the most important thing at the end of the day.
“Obviously the rugby is important, but probably when I look back at it in 10 years’ time, there’ll be a few rugby memories and then a lot of memories around relationships and the people that kind of helped me and I’ve spent a lot of time with.
“The early days, the first month or so, the people here at Munster, the boys, the management and then I guess the community of Munster was just amazing to me. The amount of messages I got, I think I’ve said it before, it was kind of overwhelming a bit, but I guess credit to the Irish people, they’re very hospitable and make you feel welcome.
“So the transition was easy and I guess that’s probably the main thing, and then I guess Munster with the history and tradition and the group that we’ve got and the direction that we see our team going is pretty exciting. I want to be a part of that.”
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Roaming Alex Nankivell happy to lay roots in Munster
ALEX NANKIVELL USED some recent time off to spend a few days in Amsterdam. Being able to hop around around Europe is one of the biggest upsides the New Zealander has found since joining Munster in the summer of 2023.
Across a busy 18-months the 28-year-old has headed down to Portugal three times, alongside trips to Valencia, Greece, London, and a summer spin over to America with some of his Munster teammates. When the schedule doesn’t allow for journeys outside of Ireland, Nankivell has travelled around the province, spending time in West Cork. He still hopes to get across to Wicklow and to explore the north of the island. A new two-year contract will allow plenty of time for all of that.
It’s safe to say the move has worked out for all involved and that Nankivell has long let go of any concerns that come with moving to the other side of the world. Before he arrived, Doug Howlett, Rhys Marshall and John Ryan – who spent time at the Chiefs when Nankivell was still with the Super Rugby club – all offered words of encouragement that helped seal the deal.
“The best thing about it is it’s actually so different to New Zealand and I probably wasn’t expecting it to be that different,” Nankivell says.
“Obviously with the weather and stuff like that, I thought that would play a part and it has, but in terms of like what the coaches offer to us it’s amazing, it’s world class.
“So I guess to be able to start again and learn a lot from these guys that have a different view on the game and teach it differently has been very cool and I probably haven’t still fully gotten used to that.
“I’m still adjusting and still trying to change my habits to what they want. So it has been cool in terms of that, and I guess with the weather you can be a bit more abrasive and when you’re at Thomond Park and the Munster supporters are behind you, it’s pretty easy to run into a couple of shoulders or try and hit someone. So yeah, it’s definitely cool for my rugby learning and my rugby experience.”
He’s quickly formed a bond with his new teammates. One of Nankivell’s visits to Portugal was based around a pre-season training camp at The Campus in Quinta do Lago, an idea suggested by Jack Crowley after the out-half had visited the facility with the Ireland squad. The two were joined by Tyrone footballer Conor Meyler, who is studying a PhD in the TUS Limerick campus and has become familiar with some of the Munster squad.
Nankivell is new to Gaelic Games but was blown away by Meyler’s physical condition.
“(How) Those footballers train, ah, it’s too much for me to be fair,” he says.
“I was more surprised by how driven, like he’s so driven, whether it be rehab or… like he just had knee surgery so he couldn’t do a lot of on-feet stuff, but the amount of stuff he does… We’d be finished the day, done our training in the morning and we’d be doing something and then he’d be like, ‘oh lads, I need to go back to the Campus and do a bit more rehab.’
“It was crazy but I said that to him, maybe you need to get the balance right a bit more because us rugby players, we’re a bit more on the chill side than that.”
Pressed on the two GAA codes, Nankivell admits to being more of a hurling man, and while he’s the proud owner of a Limerick jersey he’s yet to take in a live game.
The New Zealand centre shares a house in Limerick with his teammates Alex Kendellan and Paddy Patterson, and explains how the connections he’s made off the pitch have helped him settle in on it.
“Life off the pitch, I’m really happy. The boys are a really tight group and I’ve made some good mates already, and then when there’s time off with rugby there’s always offers to come down to West Cork or go to one of the boy’s houses and they’ll look after me or organise a trip to go elsewhere. Things are going really good.”
His new deal keeps Nankivell with Munster until at least 2027. It’s a smart bit of business by the province. Last season he played 19 games for Munster, starting 18. He’s already a leader in the Munster backline and the summer exit of Antoine Frisch has only heightened his importance to the team.
The player himself feels the best is still to come. He’s just come back from a hip injury and will be key figure for the province in their Champions Cup campaign, which kicks-off against Stade Francais today [KO 5.30pm, RTÉ 2/Premier Sports 1].
“Like, I don’t want to come for a couple of years and contribute to a team then have to leave again when you’re just starting to feel comfortable around the whole game and getting your confidence around it.
“So I was stoked when the coaches came to me and said they wanted to keep me and it was going to work out. Yeah, I’m very happy to be staying here.
“Obviously the rugby is important, but probably when I look back at it in 10 years’ time, there’ll be a few rugby memories and then a lot of memories around relationships and the people that kind of helped me and I’ve spent a lot of time with.
“The early days, the first month or so, the people here at Munster, the boys, the management and then I guess the community of Munster was just amazing to me. The amount of messages I got, I think I’ve said it before, it was kind of overwhelming a bit, but I guess credit to the Irish people, they’re very hospitable and make you feel welcome.
“So the transition was easy and I guess that’s probably the main thing, and then I guess Munster with the history and tradition and the group that we’ve got and the direction that we see our team going is pretty exciting. I want to be a part of that.”
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Alex Nankivell Munster Rugby the wanderer