When he lived in one of London's swishest hotels at the height of his trans-Atlantic stardom, Richard Harris made a confession over a Guinness in The Coal Hole about his acting career.
“I'd have given up every accolade I ever achieved, every single one”, he said. “To have played just once for Munster.”
A wing forward who claimed to have scored 11 tries at Thomond Park in schools and junior matches, Harris was educated in his native Limerick at Crescent College which also happened to be Sir Terry Wogan's alma mater.
Its international rugby alumni include the three Wallace brothers; David, Paul and Richard, all capped by Ireland. Now another Crescent College old boy is on the same upward path, Calvin Nash.
Munster's wing is one of four uncapped players in Ireland's 42-man World Cup training squad, alongside the Leinster pair Jamie Osborne and Ciaran Frawley and Ulster hooker Tom Stewart.
For exclusive stories and all the detailed rugby news you need, subscribe to The Rugby Paper website, digital edition, or newspaper from as little as 14p a day.
