Fresh from signing a new deal with Munster and scoring the winning try against Ulster, Alex Kendellen is hungry for more game time.
The former Ireland Under-20s captain has played five times for the province since making his debut against Scarlets in March last year.
A late addition to the squad for last Saturday's United Rugby Championship game against Ulster when captain Peter O’Mahony injured his leg in the warm-up, the 20-year-old scored a close-range try with five minutes to play after coming on as a replacement in the 62nd minute.
"It was an incredibly special moment for me, it was a bit of a shock to be into the squad but yeah, it’s a moment I won’t forget," said the Cork man, who last week signed a new deal with the province.
"Johann [van Graan] told me going in under the tunnel area, 'you’re number 19’, so it’s about taking that opportunity and I hope I did.
"My goal in this part of the season is to play as much as possible and just put my hand up and when I get that opportunity, take them with two hands."
"Yeah [I’m comfortable out there], 100%. Johann has told me to cover the whole back row and that’s my job in this team and I hope I’m doing that."
The victory, which moved Munster up to fifth in the table, was much needed, coming after a poor loss to Connacht on New Year’s Day and ahead of Friday night’s Champions Cup clash away to on-form Castres.
"We just want to right the wrongs from last week against Connacht," said the former Presentation Brothers College student.
"It's obviously a huge difference, we said we'd lick our wounds and come out here at at Thomond Park, obviously not full but it felt pretty full out there, we just wanted to give it our best shot.
"We knew this inter-pro series was going to be tough and I think we’re on track now for Castres in a six-day turnaround and we’re looking forward to that.
"Munster versus Castres is a huge fixture, it's all about taking that opportunity with two hands."
Follow Castres v Munster (Friday, 8pm), Connacht v Leicester (Saturday, 3.15pm), Leinster v Montpellier (Sunday, 1pm) and Northampton v Ulster (Sunday, 3.15pm) via our live blogs on rte.ie/sport or on the RTÉ News App, or listen to live radio coverage of Castres v Munster and Connacht v Leicester on RTÉ Radio 1 Extra and RTÉ Radio 1.
