The last year was a 'bumpy roller coaster' for Munster but Jack Crowley is flying high after a breakthrough 12 months.
Crowley made seven appearances and just one start for the Reds in 2021 but when he lines out against Ulster tonight it will be his 20th appearance - including eight starts - for the province since coming on against Connacht on January 1 last year.
The 22-year-old also made his Ireland debut off the bench at centre against Fiji in November and, a week later, started against Australia at no 10 after Johnny Sexton was injured in the warm-up.
READ MORE: Scotland linked Ben Healy's future 'uncertain' admits Munster boss Graham Rowntree
He has also played at centre and at full-back for Munster. The Reds have had their struggles and, having installed a new coaching regime in the summer, are in 11th place in the URC table ahead of this Kingspan Stadium clash.
But these are exciting times for the young Corkman.
"I haven’t had much time to reflect," he said. "In my own time, I will look back. At the moment, it is job driven.
"It’s where I want to be, playing games. And it’s where we want to be as a squad, competing every week and trying to get better, looking at areas we can get better.
"Obviously it’s a bumpy roller coaster. It’s nothing that we didn’t expect. We’d be lying if we said it was going to be a fairytale.
"We’d love to be winning every game, we don’t want to be where we are now. But it’s the reality.
"Yes, every game is a must win but that is the reality for every team. And we’re just embracing that and not focusing on anything else other than ourselves going into each game trying to get that performance.
"So, for me, it’s just sticking to the plan, enjoying each game and the opportunities to play in each game. So, yeah, I’m loving it.
"But I didn’t expect any of this really. This is where you want to be and it’s where you want to be playing, but I didn’t expect it to happen so soon.
"So I’m delighted with where I am. But I just want to get a few performances, particularly this weekend which is a big game. Sticking to the plan and looking forward to it."
Crowley gets to wear Munster's no 10 jersey for the first time since the last meeting of the provinces in October, when Ulster took the spoils.
But he admits he is comfortable wherever he is selected across the back line.
"It's more probably since I’ve been young, the ability to be able to cover multiple positions and that’s something I’ve always been able to do, from jumping between 9 and 10 in school," he said.
"I’m just happy once I’m on the pitch. I don’t mind what jersey is on my back. Wherever I’m needed, or whatever job I’m asked to do, I’m happy to fill in.
"It’s certainly not looking to take that 12 jersey. I’m just happy to fill in and be on the pitch playing minutes."
Munster let victory slip from their grasp against Leinster last Monday and, while there has clearly been an upturn in performance, they need to put together a run of victories now to ensure Champions Cup qualification for next season.
And while Ulster welcome back Sean Reffell, Billy Burns, Jacob Stockdale, James Hume, and Rob Baloucoune from injury, Munster have made six personnel changes and two positional switches.
The Reds are without several Ireland players who are rested including Joey Carbery, Peter O'Mahony and Tadhg Beirne.
"I can understand from looking at the table, that it's a must-win," Crowley said. "We identify that but we are more looking for performances that can lead to that, and we understand it is a quick turnaround.
"We can certainly see it’s gelling, it’s coming together. "We're looking at the many positives, at the few percent of things that went wrong in games and hopefully if we can correct them and get them working, in those tight games, we can flip the result in our favour.
"You have to trust the process and the game-plan. And you’re never going to change just because of the circumstances. You have to trust the information you’re being given, the previews of Ulster and stick to the plan.
"I go into every game wanting to win and so does everybody else here. Now it’s just about tidying up those errors and slight percentages that were off against Leinster and fixing them ahead of Ulster.
"And give a performance and hopefully the result will look after itself because we have been improving week by week."
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