Munster head coach Johann van Graan has confirmed that Caroline Currid is working with the province.
As performance psychologist with the Limerick hurlers, she's contributed to John Kiely's side winning three out of the last four All Ireland championships
Currid was pictured at a Munster challenge match at Thomond Park in early September - wearing Munster gear - fuelling speculation she was part of Van Graan's backroom team.
Speaking ahead of the province's opening game of the new United Rugby Championship with the Cell C Sharks, Van Graan attempted to put some shape to the story.
4 September 2021; Munster rugby sports psychologist Caroline Currid, left, and lead academy athletic development coach Danielle Cunningham before a challenge match between Munster XV Red and Munster XV Grey at Thomond Park in Limerick. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile"Caroline is a consultant with us. She is in for a few days a week.
"She has done excellent with other teams and she is working one on one with a few of our lads. It is great to have her involved.
"It is a not a new role that we have created, it is not something new. It was fulfilling a role that could not be fulfilled by another individual so, like I said, it's great to have Caroline involved, a new way of thinking, a new way of doing things, but she is part of our staff now and like all of our staff she contributes a lot and it's great to have her on board
"It is such a need, not only the mental well-being of your players but also the sports psychology piece. Look, she is very good at what she does and it is great to have her as part of a consultant as part of our group."
Her consultancy work is not Currid's first dalliance with Munster Rugby.
Speaking to The Irish Times in 2016, she outlined working with then Munster player Paul O'Connell in 2006.
"I was shocked by his preparation," she said, "I was really going down there thinking that this guy had it sussed and that his preparation would be really good and that I would come away with a lot of detail about sports psychology.
"But he obviously was doing nothing and his preparation was not good."
Currid continued to work with O'Connell up until his retirement as a player in 2015.
Winning the Ryder Cup will turn Harrington into a tattoo kind of guy
Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!
Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
