Victor Costello radiates a joie de vivre, its very essence a catalyst for his international aspirations. Outstanding for Leinster during the summer, Costello has sustained that level of performance at club level. An excellent display for Ireland against Canada, that included a try, pre-empted a late incursion as a replacement in the less edifying defeat by Italy in Bologna.
The St Mary's College number eight concedes that a change in attitude is responsible for his current mental and physical well being. "I'm just concentrating on enjoying my rugby, not devoting any time to worrying about whether I'm going to make things: just getting down to enjoying the matches.
"When I came back from London Irish my performances were very inconsistent, good one game, poor the next. Last June I made a commitment to get fit and just concentrate on the rugby . . . not the contracts, not the money, not for whom I was playing.
"Prior to that I had spent my time playing myself off the Irish team. This time I did not put the same pressure on myself. I focused on my game, it was for others to make decisions after that. It certainly had the desired effect on a personal level.
"I was a floater in Irish squad terms and that was a bit of a distraction. Now I feel I'm more a part of the squad with the ability to play a more meaningful role."
Costello admits that he keeps in contact with former St Mary's and current Greystones coach Ciaran Fitzgerald. "He helps me to keep things in perspective. I'm no longer anxiously waiting for every word or whisper about squads. My rugby is my priority."
Reggie Corrigan and Kevin Nowlan's failure to receive national team contracts caused a furore, given the insensitive timing, just 48 hours prior to the Italian international. What isn't as widely known is that Costello faces an identical predicament. He boasts the exact same parttime £7,500 contract with Leinster.
"At one time something like that would have bothered me. I look around now and see the money situation messing with a guy's head. The money is not a primary consideration for them playing for their country but they're wondering when the car is arriving and those sort of things.
"As I have already outlined my priority is performing on the pitch and through that, hopefully, playing for Ireland again." Costello is candid in acknowledging the faults that hampered his development, one of which was his reluctance to tackles authoritatively.
"I now love tackling and don't know why I never did before. I think it's partly down to playing with guys like Trevor (Brennan). The way he puts himself about inspires you. In his absence I suppose I have just continued in that vein with Mary's.
"Before I was never that confident in the way I tried to line up a tackle. In the Canadian game, just before half-time their scrum-half and number eight broke from a scrum. David Erskine took the scrum-half and I hit the number eight forcing him into a forward pass. We were under pressure at the time and I enjoyed that. I believe that my defence has improved immeasurably."
Costello is determined that, should the national team come calling again, he will not give them any scope to dismiss him this time. "I know Eric's (Miller) the man in possession and I am not worried. If I am playing well enough, then hopefully that will be recognised."
An opportune benchmark is tomorrow's AIL Division One game against Shannon at Thomond Park when Costello will face the vaunted back row of Eddie Halvey, Anthony Foley and Alan Quinlan. "It should be an interesting afternoon but these are the type of matches in which you have got to want to play."
The indications are that the Shannon trio will face their toughest afternoon of the season to date. Costello laughs: "I'm sure we'll give and take some good wallops." It epitomises his new-found confidence, a hazardous development for those who stand in his way.
