RG Snyman Reveals Role Of Limerick Hurling Psychologist During His Dark Days At Munster

Considering the talent at his disposal, it's fair to say that RG Snyman did not quite have the impact that many expected him to during his time at Munster.

The South African was heralded as a potentially game-changing signing when he arrived in 2020, only to make very little impact on the pitch. Snyman would be plagued with injury throughout his spell at Thomond Park, making just 20 appearances across four seasons, although he would help them to a URC title in 2023.

He suffered a number of serious setbacks during his time in Limerick, experiencing two ACL injuries as well as a freak accident involving a fire pit. The result of that was a long spell on the sidelines, also coming at a time when he was attempting to adjust to a new country in the midst of a global pandemic.

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RG Snyman had some very tough times away from the pitch during his spell with Munster, describing this period on The Big Jim Show as 'the four toughest years of his life'.

The 30-year old would eventually come out the other side of those struggles, revealing the role that one prominent Irishwoman played in helping him do so:

We had someone come in Caroline Currid. She actually works with the Limerick hurlers.

I don't know if you know much about them, but they're a very successful team. She's kind of their psychologist, I guess that's what you would call it. She worked with them.

She was in with Munster for that season as well. She's been very influential in my rehab. Even now after that, we still keep in touch.

I never really understood the value of that or having somebody like that that looks at things from a different perspective. Obviously they get to know you and stuff, it just gets you talking about certain things that you might not want to be talking about all that much.

That made a big difference for me...

It was more just opening up that conversation, sitting there and asking questions that might be a little bit uncomfortable. I guess being in that situation, you can't just walk away from that conversation because it's just me and her sitting there.

We were having conversations that I don't think really think you would have with anyone in a day to day. I think that was the biggest thing.

Caroline Currid is one of the most renowned names in the sports psychology field in Ireland, having played a role with a number of successful GAA teams down through the years. She has played a part in four All-Ireland victories, with Tyrone (2008), Tipperary (2010), Dublin (2011), and Limerick (2018, 2020, 2021, 2022).

Her spell with Munster clearly had a big impact on RG Snyman, who has fully recovered from the struggles he went through during his time with the province.