Alan Gaffney, the well-respected and popular assistant coach to Matt Williams at Leinster for the past two seasons, has been linked more strongly with the upcoming vacancy at Munster after his ties with Leinster were apparently loosened yesterday.
Gaffney met Leinster Branch officials at lunchtime yesterday and, having been offered an improved contract to remain as Leinster's assistant cum backs coach, intimated that he wanted to keep his hat in the ring for the Munster job, where he's believed to be on a shortlist of no more than three.
It's a calculated gamble by Gaffney, as the Leinster Branch officials have told him they will explore other options as an assistant coach. A statement on behalf of the province was issued late yesterday afternoon which stated: "A spokesman for Leinster confirmed that Alan Gaffney had today expressed his intention to further pursue the Munster head coaching position."
The spokesman also confirmed Leinster would be examining all options in filling their assistant coach position and wished Gaffney all the very best for the future. Typically, Munster have revealed little as team manager Jerry Holland shed no light on Gaffney's candidature in response to the Leinster statement.
"Throughout this process we have made absolutely no comment concerning individuals we may or may not have spoken to as we have respected the confidentiality of everybody involved. If Leinster want to make statements about people who work for them that's their prerogative."
It is believed that Holland and the Munster chief executive Garrett Fitzgerald have exhaustively sounded out several high-profile coaches around the world as well as locally-based candidates such as Cork Constitution's Brian Hickey in whittling down their shortlist.
Nigel Melville and Brad Johnstone have been linked with the job, though as expected Melville quickly went to Gloucester after leaving Wasps while Johnstone's apparently imminent departure from Italy has seen his name enter the frame. Again though, his cap wouldn't seem to fit while another stronger whisper doing the rounds is that of former Wallaby coach Rod Macqueen.
Though it would be a big surprise and an even bigger catch, Macqueen would be the kind of high-profile character to demand the respect of the Munster players and is financially independent enough to treat any coaching venture in pure rugby terms. Characteristically, Holland declined to make any comment on Macqueen being in the frame.
With Gaffney in the picture to make the shorter trek to Munster from Donnybrook, coincidentally the two provinces are set to meet in the Interprovincial Championship this Friday at Musgrave Park.
As would have been custom anyhow, Leinster will hold a press conference to announce their team for that game tomorrow and may shed further light on Gaffney's apparent departure.
