I’m loving it and am starting to play some top rugby

REDS STAR HALEY SAYS HIS GAME IS BENEFITING FROM HAPPY HOME LIFE

MIKE HALEY played more for Munster last season than any other player and having got a taste of the international scene during the summer he’s keen to push on and add to his debut cap.

The 25-year from Preston, who is Irish-qualified through his maternal grandmother from Tralee, has chalked up 31 appearances since his debut against the Cheetahs in September last year.

And having made over 100 appearances for Sale Sharks, – including his Champions Cup debut against Munster in 2014 – the full-back has an impressive track record as he bids to help the Reds end their silverware famine.

He revealed: “I really enjoyed my first season at Munster but I think it probably took me a little bit longer to actually settle down. Whether that was for a few personal reasons or whatever was going on in the background, just to get myself comfortable.

“A year on, I’m absolutely loving life here. My family is all settled, I’ve got my little boy now here, who is a Limerick lad, and I feel like I’m starting to play some good rugby and that was the aim I wanted initially. It probably just took me a little bit longer than I thought it would to get to this stage.

“The great thing about Munster is we have a very big squad, and we’ve got great Academy lads who are pushing you. So, when I came out from the World Cup camp, it was tough.

“What they were doing was just as tough as what was going in Ireland camp, and I had to make sure that I was at that standard for the team. It’s been the same for the lads integrating themselves back from the World Cup. You had 12, 13 lads coming back in and there’s new things that they have had to learn.

“One of the good things with going to South Africa earlier on in the year, especially with a young team, is you get to bond together, you get to work together with each other all the time.”

Haley made his international debut against Italy in August but didn’t make the plane to Japan and while new Irish coach Andy Farrell will soon be naming his first squad for camp, Halely knows his primary focus has to be on Munster and push on from there.

He said: “I need to make sure I’m in the 15 every week. I want to make sure I’m consistently playing well for Munster. We want to be competing at the highest level on both fronts, that’s Europe and the Pro14, and Europe starts with Ospreys on Saturday.”