'World-class Coach' Gibbes Helping Hanrahan 'bed-in' At Clermont

Paris, Sept 24 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Sep, 2021 ) :Former Munster fly-half JJ Hanrahan said he is thriving under Clermont's "world-class" coach Jono Gibbes before travelling to Toulouse in the Top 14 on Sunday.

Hanrahan, 29, headed to France this summer at the same time as ex-New Zealand back-rower Gibbes returned to Stade Marcel-Michelin to take over from long-standing boss Franck Azema.

Gibbes guided La Rochelle to the domestic and European Champions Cup finals last term after coaching spells with the likes of Leinster, Ulster and Waikato as well as three seasons in charge of Clermont's forwards between 2014-17.

"He's coached in Ireland, and New Zealand and we speak the same language. It's good for me to bed in. He's a world class coach," Hanrahan told AFP on Wednesday.

"The standard and leadership is the main thing and that's been pretty top-notch so far," he added.

Despite featuring for Ireland's under-20s side and being nominated as World Junior Player of the Year in 2012, he is yet to make an appearance for the Test team.

He made the decision to join Clermont after having fruitless phone calls with Andy Farrell's coaching set-up.

"I hadn't really got much more than that. I was coming to that stage in Ireland where the international scene wasn't really kicking off for me," he said.

"I'm a bit of a realist in life. When you see things as they are, you may as well accept them. You can keep pushing away but they keep going with younger and younger guys.

"For me it was a new opportunity to experience things. I went to the market and it was Clermont that came out of it, and what a club to be at," he added.

- 'Crazy' back-line - At the two-time French champions, he plays inside the likes of France wingers Damian Penaud and Aliverei Raka, Japan's Kotaro Matushima, and ex-All Blacks centre George Moala.

"Anytime anyone gets the ball they can always beat the first man, nearly always the second as well and they can off-load," he said.

"Even the back-three of Raka, Penaud and Matsushima is pretty crazy in terms of the talent and their ability to play.

"My job is to get them the ball in space and try to get them to use their quality and do their thing. If I can do that, then the rest will look after itself," he added.

This weekend he is set to make a third appearance for the trip to the French and European champions, who are unbeaten at the top of the table.

In the opposite No. 10 shirt will be Les Bleus' 22-year-old Romain Ntamack, who Hanrahan faced in last season's Champions Cup last 16 defeat.

"I remember playing against Ntamack last year in the European Cup," Hanrahan said.

"We had two moves off the back of the lineout and he stopped our No. 8, CJ Stander, on both moves with one-out tackles.

"I was pretty impressed with it. For a 10 he's quite a big guy. Solid in defence and under the high ball, good kicking. He's an all-round talent." Fixtures (all times GMT) Saturday Stade Francais v Castres, Pau v Montpellier, Bordeaux-Begles v Brive, La Rochelle v Biarritz (all 1300), Racing 92 v Lyon (1500), Perpignan v Toulon (1900)SundayToulouse v Clermont (1905).