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'Always had great ambitions': Dragons confirm JJ Hanrahan signing
By Kim Ekin
Welsh strugglers Dragons have confirmed the expected signing of Irish out-half JJ Hanrahan on a long-term deal from Clermont. The 29-year-old, who can also play at centre and full-back, is midway through his first season in the French Top 14 after he impressed when leading Munster to a spectacular Champions Cup comeback success at Stade Marcel Michelin in December 2020.
That performance came in his second spell with his native Irish province on either side of a stint in England with Northampton.
Dragons boss Dean Ryan said: “We are delighted that JJ will join us next season. He is very keen to become a Dragon and have a big influence on what we are building at the region. JJ will give us added competition for the ten jersey and brings with him a wealth of experience, from his time at Munster to most recently in France. That will be of huge benefit to our squad.”
Hanrahan added: “I'm delighted to be joining Dragons in the summer and to be moving to a region who I feel has massive potential for growth under the guidance of Dean Ryan. When I first spoke to Dean about the region and his vision I could instantly see and feel his passion. I’m excited to come to Dragons and contribute to helping the team as much as I can.
“I know the United Rugby Championship competition very well through my time at Munster and it’s a league I’m looking forward to playing in again. Being away for a year in France at Clermont has been great for me to gain new experiences and has given me a brilliant opportunity to learn a lot.
“I have always had great ambitions as a player and if you look at the current Dragons squad it has a good mix of top-class players in the Welsh squad along with some exciting young talent. There is so much to look forward to over the next few years to come and seeing where we can get to.”
Hanrahan is a two-time United Rugby Championship (URC) runner-up, a British and Irish Cup winner and a two-time golden boot winner in the URC, topping the scoring charts in 2013/14 and 2019/20.
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Latest Comments
But he chose rightly or wrongly to play for Tonga. If he wanted to play for the ABs why didn’t he hold off?
Go to comments“A succession of recent ex-players going straight back into the game as coaches in their early 40’s would prob be enough to kill it stone-dead. Innovation would die a death.”
Would it? I do think one of the major differences between rugby and most other sports - which we’ve been overlooking - is the degree to which players are expected to lead team meetings & analysis sessions and the like. Someone like Owen Farrell has basically been an assistant coach already for ten years - and he’s been so under a variety of different head coaches with different expectations and playing styles.
“The most interesting ppl I have met in the game have all coached well into their sixties and they value the time and opportunity they have had to reflect and therefore innovate in the game. That’s based on their ability to compare and contrast between multiple eras.”
I don’t doubt that that’s true. But having interesting insights doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be the best able to inspire a team, or the best at managing the backroom staff.
“Wayne Smith winning the WWC in his mid sixties three years ago prob means nothing to you but it meant a lot to him. It took him back to the roots of is own coaching journey.”
I don’t doubt that! But I don’t think coaches should be hired on the basis that it means a lot to them.
“The likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Wayne Bennett and Andy Reid all have a tale to tell. You should open your ears and listen to it!”
I agree! Never have I ever suggested otherwise!
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