‘We’re not falling in love with ourselves’ – Calvin Nash insists ‘stupid positivity’ won’t cut it for Munster

But, when he’s on duty he’s focused on the job at hand and keeping the momentum that’s been building behind his career going for as long as possible.

He’s got URC and Six Nations medals in his collection now and that’s just whetted the appetite.

The dead leg that ruled him out of Munster’s European exit at the hands of Northampton Saints meant he watched his side’s Champions Cup dreams end from afar, but he was back for their trip to South Africa and shone on the wing during their wins over the Bulls and the Lions.

Today's Sport News in 90 Seconds - 10th May

He looks every inch an international wing now, a player who has benefited from belief being shown in him at provincial and international level.

And, while everyone else was impressed with the way Munster approached their trip to the Rainbow Nation, the message coming out of the Munster camp is that they have plenty of work to do as they set their sights on retaining their league title with a run of games at home.

“The group probably got a good bit closer over there; credit to the coaches they’d a really good game-plan for us going over there for the two games,” Nash reflected ahead of tomorrow’s derby against Connacht.

“I feel like all the lads executed it quite well, we’d a few hiccups but all in all to get 10 points over there was incredible.

“It’s a tough place to go and win, winning at Loftus (Versfeld) was another really good thing to add to the things we can look back on, the reference points. We’ll take massive confidence from that.

“It’s not like a stupid positivity, we’re not falling in love with ourselves thinking we’re the best team ever. We’re not, let’s be honest.

“We do have great belief in each other, we still have a lot to improve on and want to keep getting better all the time.”

That approach has served Nash well and, when Mack Hansen was ruled out of the Six Nations, he was ready to step in and step up.

“I’m always trying to improve my game,” he explained.

“I was really grateful for the minutes I got in the Six Nations, I felt like I learned a lot and being up with the quality of players that are in camp you learn loads.

“It brings you on loads, so you’re trying to come back and add that to Munster and raise the standard here as well.

“I feel like the standard is raising here, we’ve a great group building, I don’t think we’re there yet.”

He knows what he has to do to stay in Ireland contention.

“Just to kind of keep going on the basics, to keep getting on the ball as much as I can; that work-rate off the ball and there wasn’t much chat (from the coaches), but I kind of know from what we’re looking at up in camp; accuracy of kicking and stuff like that, just keep getting better at all the basics, keep performing with Munster and hopefully they’ll keep you selected,” he said.

“That’s the goal, just keep performing with Munster and keep driving it on.”

“I was kind of mentally tired after the Six Nations. Camp is quite intense, you do get breaks here and there, but overall it is intense and you have a lot of work off the pitch, analysing teams and stuff.

“I was disappointed to pick up the knock to my leg, but that probably gave me another bit of a break so I’m kind of raring to go.

“I’m feeling quite good, they looked after us in South Africa. The games were quite tough, but we were well looked after.”

South Africa came at the right time for Munster, who parked their European disappointment and got over all of their ailments to come together and deliver two brilliant performances that leave them with a real shot of finishing in the top two.

“The quicker we got past the loss and the disappointment, the more positive we could start being in our training, the more we could focus on getting positive performances in South Africa,” he said.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, I feel like everyone that went gave it 100pc all the time…. it was a 30-man job.

“We want to keep getting as many points and finish as high as we can.

“It’d be nice to play in front of our fans, get a few home games in play-offs, that’s the goal.”