It was around 10 or 15 minutes after full-time in Munster's win against the Stormers at Thomond Park a couple of weeks ago, and there were just a few stragglers left hanging around the ground.
Several of the press pack were still putting away their laptops by this point, the 10-3 Munster win having stretched the deadlines for a few on-the-whistle match reports.
It allowed us to catch a candid moment, as Munster's new signing Alex Nankivell came back out onto the pitch and jogged over to the Mayorstone corner of Thomond Park's West Stand, where he had promised a bunch of kids he would return.
The 27-year-old has barely been in Ireland for six weeks, but seems to have made an early impression on the fans.
"Often we'll go in [after a game], walk into the tunnel and have a little bit of a team meeting, so you don't always get a chance to get a chance to thank the fans who come and watch you," he says of that gesture after the win against the Stormers.
"I remember being a young kid and loved it when players came around and signed my programme and things like that.
"That was just a random bunch. I think it was a rugby team, some young kids over in the far corner.
"They just yelled out before I ran in, and I didn't have time to do it before the meeting, so I said I'd come out and give some time back to them."
The New Zealander (above) has been a popular addition even in these early stages, and not just for signing autographs and posing for selfies.
The centre has impressed in his five games so far, fitting in well alongside Antoine Frisch in midfield.
He's been efficient on the ball with 35 carries across three starts and two games from the bench, while his 11 defenders beaten is second only to Calvin Nash on Munster's rankings. On the other side of possession, he ranks in the top 10 for turnovers won in the league, leading Munster on that metric.
Nankivell was a largely unknown quantity - in Ireland at least - when it was confirmed last February that he would be joining Munster for this season, but he had actually been on the province's radar for some time.
"I signed a few weeks before it got announced, and it just coincided that John [Ryan] arrived [in New Zealand] on the day that the announcement came out. It had kind of been in the works for about... I talked to Wig [Graham Rowntree] and Johann [van Graan] in 2021 about coming over here but I wanted to still give the All Blacks a crack," he told RTÉ Sport.
"When I was ready, Munster thankfully came back at the start of the year and it was a pretty quick process from there, we got it all signed up."
Having Ryan as a team-mate at the Chiefs made the move to Limerick "seamless".
By pure coincidence the prop's move to Waikato for the 2023 Super Rugby season saw him play alongside his future Munster team-mate, and the pair both played their part in helping the Chiefs reach the final, where they were narrowly beaten by the Crusaders.
"It's been awesome," Nankivell says. "I had a few anxieties coming over, obviously pretty much the opposite side of the world to New Zealand, but it's been a pretty seamless transition.
"The group of boys here have looked after me really well and keeping me busy and it's making my life earlier to get to know them.
"Everyone's been awesome, and I also have to thank John Ryan with that connection in the Chiefs. He's done a lot for me, helped me connect with the boys and find a flat and has been there to help with whatever I need.
"It was probably the most valuable thing, asking him a million questions back in New Zealand while we were playing for the Chiefs and then when he went back home to Ireland and I was playing provincial rugby he made my transition seamless.
"He sorted me a flat with the boys, just reminded me of things I might need to get sorted, and has been there when I got here, picked me up at the airport and things like that. He's been massive."
Nankivell sat out last week's defeat to Leinster at the Aviva Stadium with a minor injury, but will be in the mix to return for tomorrow night's visit of the Glasgow Warriors to Musgrave Park.
Rest has been scarce for the centre in recent seasons.
Last November, he featured with the non-capped 'All Blacks XV' that defeated 'Ireland A' at the RDS before being thrust into pre-season with the Chiefs.
The Super Rugby season ran up until the end of June, before he went on a tour of Japan with the 'All Blacks XV' in July.
After that, it was straight into the National Provincial Championship with Tasman where he played every game before their quarter-final exit in October, and two weeks later he was making his Munster debut at Thomond Park.
Any chance he'll be given a few weeks off sometime soon?
"Not that I've heard!" he laughs.
"To be honest, I just want to play rugby. It's one of those things I was thinking about, would it be tough going from Super Rugby into the 'All Blacks XV', into provincial and then carrying into another season, would it be challenging?
"I think more so coming over here to a completely new environment, they play a completely different way, it doesn't really feel like I'm coming off back-to-back seasons.
"I just want to get out there as much as I can and contribute and keep enjoying the footy that Munster's been playing."
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