HAIL TO A NEW CHIEF
Alex Nankivell is the best midfielder signed by Munster since the teak tough and astute Rua Tipoki
The Kiwi’s display in Toulon was his best yet
MUNSTER’S history in Europe is defined by backs-to-the-wall performances in French bear pits.
And it was no different in January 2008. Declan Kidney’s side arrived at Stade Marcel Michelin to face a brilliant Clermont team on their home turf.
The hosts had a giant pack featuring the hardy Pumas pair of Mario Ledesma and Martin Scelzo in the frontrow as well as French internationals Julian Bonnaire and Elvis Vermuelen in a fearsome backrow. Livewire scrum-half Pierre Mignoni and Aussie outhalf Brock James orchestrated a stellar backline which had Marius Joubert, Aurelien Rougerie and
Anthony Floch on patrol.
Clermont were a powerhouse of the European game at the time and after they surged into an early 20-3 lead, things were looking ominous for the visitors.
In a typically dogged performance on French soil, Munster found a way back into the game.
They had Rua Tipoki to thank for a lot if it. The hardy Kiwi centre came up with some big plays, on both sides of the ball, throughout a pulsating contest. Munster would lose 26-19 but, crucially, they left Clermont HQ with a precious losing bonus point.
A solitary point which would make all the difference in helping their escape from a pool of death which galvanised them ahead of their charge to a second European title, beating Gloucester, Saracens and Toulouse away en route.
And Tipoki was a central figure throughout that memorable title charge. The Maori midfielder may have only played 29 games in a two-season spell, but he remains a cult figure among the fanbase. He left a huge impression on his teammates,too. Ronan O’Gara named one of his sons after him. When Ireland were gearing up to face the Maori All Blacks on the 2022 summer tour of New Zealand, Andy Farrell asked Tipoki to give a talk to the squad.
Have Munster had a better midfielder? Tipoki forged a blockbuster centre pairing with Lifeimi Mafi during those few seasons in Limerick. He brought the best out of Mafi.
Tipoki had no shortage of skill but he possessed that trademark Kiwi toughness as well. Relentlessly competitive, he read the game brilliantly. One of those players who always seemed to have time on the ball. And when he was short of options, Tipoki could truck it up and set a target for the forwards. A centre with the physical presence of Trevor Halstead, the footwork of Mike Mullins and the footballing nous of Jason Holland. Tipoki was also a second set of ears and eyes for Munster’s conductor in chief.
‘I really respected him and liked him, and he made the game very easy for me,’ O’Gara noted years later on his former teammate.
Munster have signed many overseas midfielders in the years which followed but few have matched Tipok’s impact. Whether it was Jean de Villiers, Sam Tuitupou or Francis Saili, none came close to having the same influence.
Malakai Fekitoa looked the most likely. He had a big profile and All Blacks caps to his name. But he lasted one season. Ironically, the Tongan-born centre played his best rugby after signalling his move to Treviso the following season.
So, when Munster announced the signing of Alex Nankivell last February, there wasn’t a lot of initial excitement. The 27-year-old was viewed as a solid stalwart for the Waikato Chiefs in Super Rugby. Nankivell had featured for the Maori All Blacks and impressed for an All Blacks XV which demolished Ireland at the RDS.
As always, he had a plethora of brilliant centres ahead of him in the All Blacks pecking order such as Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Anton Lienart-Brown and Jack Goodhue. Even so, coaches and teammates regularly argued Nankivell’s case for higher honours. His form was so good in 2022 that his head coach Clayton McMillan believed he should have been in the mix to face Ireland in the three-Test series. But the call never came.
Munster had been making inquiries for a while. Johann van Graan first got in touch in 2021. After a few beers with some of the Munster contingent after an Ireland v Maori All Blacks game, his interest was piqued. Doug Howlett gave another ringing endorsement of Thomond Park. John Ryan did the same during his one-season spell in Hamilton with the Chiefs. Nankivell eventually signed a contract, packed
his bags and boarded a flight to Limerick.
Far from a marquee signing, he was regarded as a solid, nononsense player who would bring a bit of steel and cohesion to the Munster midfield.
Suffice to say, he has exceeded expectations. It’s early days in Nankivell’s Munster career but he already looks like the best midfielder the province have acquired since Tipoki.
He shares many of the same traits as his compatriot. There is the same tenacity in defence and eagerness to mix it with the opposition forwards. One moment, Nankivell is putting one of his fellow backs in space with a deft pass. The next, he is burrowed in a ruck trying to win a turnover. Tipoki was the exact same.
The former Chief has impressed in his 10 performances for Munster thus far but Saturday’s display in Toulon was his best. We were reminded of Tipoki’s tour de force in Clermont when we saw Nankivell’s efforts at Stade Felix Mayol.
Munster had a dicey first quarter and when the hosts surged into a 10-0 lead, you wondered if it was going to be one of those grim outings. But Nankivell was front and centre as a resilient Munster clawed their way back into the tie.
Fittingly, it was Nankivell who scored the province’s opening try, a typically robust finish after the forwards had pounded the Toulon line. There were plenty of nice moments in attack, be it a smart pass or a sharp running line. His partnership with Antoine Frisch is coming along nicely. A combination to rival the Tipoki/Mafi axis? It’s looking quite potent at the moment.
Is this Munster team good enough to emulate the feats of Tipoki and Co in 2008? This statement win in Toulon could be a turning point for this squad. Crucially, they have another granite-like New Zealander in midfield. It bodes well for their European ambitions down the line.