As in December 2021, many of the same names will be bandied about to succeed Graham Rowntree as the province’s permanent head coach, with Munster fans on bended knee again that, failing the Dream Ticket of Ronan O’Gara and Paul O’Connell, maybe one of them could be persuaded to assume solo command.
Almost three years on, either eventuality seems even more unlikely now. O’Connell, the bookies’ second favourite then and favourite now, has demonstrated a clear liking for working as an assistant coach in the international arena. He’s also an invaluable and loyal part of Andy Farrell’s coaching ticket with the prized goal of the World Cup in 2027.
O’Gara is 5/1 fourth favourite now as opposed to 10/11 favourite back then, which perhaps shows an appreciation that he is less likely to uproot his wife and five young kids from La Rochelle.
He also signed a new five-year contract with La Rochelle in December 2022 which will keep him at the club until at least 2027, and he has expressed a desire to coach Ireland or France after that.
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“At the moment, I would like to have the ability to win the World Cup, I dream of winning things, whether with Ireland or France,” he told the Paris-based RMC Sport.
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“I’m not French. I’m trying to prove myself and put my name in this debate. It’s possible that for Ireland, the next coach will be a New Zealander, a South African or an Australian, that’s how it is.”
Felix Jones, the second favourite at 7/2, is being kept under contract as an assistant with England until next August and Jerry Flannery is under contract in his relatively new job as Springboks’ defence coach. Similarly, Jason Holland has just become an assistant coach with the All Blacks this year.
James Coughlan has built up quite an impressive CV in French rugby but is in his first season as director of rugby at Biarritz.
Besides, neither Jones nor Flannery has had any experience as a head coach and it would be surprising to see either of them appointed above Mike Prendergast and Denis Leamy.
Of those two, Prendergast is the more experienced, having spent nine years in various assistant roles in France with Grenoble, Oyonnax, Stade Francais and Racing 92.
He has had a significant impact on Munster’s attack, which has remained good this season despite reduced resources and injuries, and he looks the most obvious choice barring recruitment from New Zealand or South Africa.
What’s curious about this scenario is that Munster have appointed their head of rugby operations, Ian Costello, as interim head coach, but moving him into the role permanently would cause quite an upheaval.
That interim choice might also have been made because because Prendergast and Leamy are out of contract at the end of this season and in negotiations over new deals. But Prendergast looks to be the most likely solution at this juncture.
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