On recent evidence, things are falling nicely into place for Johann van Graan as he prepares his Munster squad for Sunday’s Heineken Champions Cup clash with Castres.

Johann van Graan had a dozen reasons to celebrate a productive start to a Heineken Champions Cup week yesterday as Munster announced the signing of 12 contract extensions.

Munster coach Johann van Graan is hopeful his local knowledge will be enough to maintain their winning run in South Africa when they take on the Cheetahs tomorrow (2.45pm, Irish time).

A Munster squad of 27 players comprised largely of bright, young talent, supported by a few more experienced players, flew out yesterday to South Africa to prepare for Sunday’s Guinness PRO14 clash with the Toyota Cheetahs.

Johann van Graan has admitted he would be surprised to see Conor Murray’s name appear in the Ireland squad for the November internationals as the scrum-half continues his recovery from a neck injury.

There would have been lots from Munster’s losing performance in Glasgow last weekend to chip away at Johann van Graan’s usually measured demeanour but the head coach remains unflustered, in public at least, as he aims to right his team’s wrongs for this Friday’s visit of Ospreys.

Munster coach Johann van Graan said that Neil Cronin journey from being a schoolteacher to a professional rugby player proves that a person should never give up on their dreams.

Johann van Graan won’t hide his excitement and sense of expectation as he prepares to lead Munster into a first full season with the province since replacing Rassie Erasmus as head coach last November.

Johann van Graan made no apology for Friday’s pre-season loss to Exeter Chiefs as he exposed his wider squad to the rigours of the 2018/19 campaign ahead.

Johann van Graan is hoping new signing Mike Haley gives Munster supporters a glimpse of what he has shown in pre-season training after handing the Irish-qualified full-back his first start for the province tonight against Champions Cup pool rivals Exeter Chiefs (Musgrave Park, 7.30pm).

Johann van Graan believes new signing Arno Botha will add strength and depth to Munster’s back-row resources when the Springbok arrives this summer on a one-year contract.

Johann van Graan is hoping he will be able to call on reinforcements for Munster’s Guinness PRO14 semi-final at Leinster in 12 days with the return of key players from injury.

Johann van Graan has put his Munster players on alert that a Guinness PRO14 semi-final with Leinster in two weeks is no foregone conclusion.

Johann van Graan wasn’t concealing his own personal disappointment and the deep frustration in the Munster camp as players and management reflected on the error-ridden first half hour in Bordeaux on Sunday that condemned the province to yet another semi-final defeat in the European Champions Cup.

Keith Earls has had better Mondays.

Johann van Graan has backed the strength of his world-class back three options ahead of Sunday’s Champions Cup semi-final against Racing 92 as he explained his decision to drop Simon Zebo to the Munster replacements bench.

It will be Sunday evening before we know for sure which two of the four sides left standing in this season’s Champions Cup got their preparations spot on for the semi-finals, but at this juncture it would be a surprise, notwithstanding they are playing in France, if Munster isn’t one of them.

Johann van Graan has been involved in some pretty significant semi-finals in his coaching career and as he began preparations for Munster’s mission to succeed in Bordeaux this Sunday he urged his players to “embrace the expectation”.

It will be a special occasion for CJ Stander to play in his hometown George on Saturday, says Munster coach Johann van Graan.

Johann van Graan has signalled his intent to make Munster a more dynamic attacking force next season with the signing of Irish-qualified Sale Sharks full-back Mike Haley.

Johann van Graan has acknowledged the “massive loss” of Chris Cloete to the Munster cause after the openside flanker was ruled out for the rest of the season following surgery on a forearm fracture.

As Conor Murray squirmed on the Aviva Stadium turf, his foot trapped at the bottom of a ruck full of Irish and Welsh bodies, Johann van Graan feared the worst.

Johann van Graan has hailed Simon Zebo as a “completely unique” talent and revealed the full-back’s pledge to make his remaining time at Munster his best few months in red.

As Racing 92 flanker Yannick Nyanga was praising new pack-mate Donnacha Ryan on Sunday night he reflected on the inside knowledge the Irish lock had passed on to the squad abut Munster’s threats.

Former Irish rugby union player Bernard Jackman says Munster head coach Johann van Graan has been "thrown under the bus a little bit" over Gerbrandt Grobler return from a drugs ban.

A derby defeat at home is enough to darken the mood but Munster captain Peter O’Mahony and his head coach Johann van Graan know that Leinster have provided the benchmark to which they will have to measure up if this season is to be a success.

Johann van Graan is not giving up hope that Munster legend Paul O’Connell will join his coaching think tank at the province.

The relief around Munster was palpable yesterday as the IRFU confirmed CJ Stander had followed Peter O’Mahony in signing a new three-year contract to keep him at the province until at least the summer of 2021.

As Munster’s on-field coordinator, Billy Holland has to size up the opposition, attack vulnerable areas, and decide where to target, writes Donal Lenihan.

Munster boss Johann van Graan has not ruled out a return from injury this weekend for Ireland wing Keith Earls.

Johann van Graan’s assertion that Munster only have half the job done against Leicester has been brought into sharp focus by the likely return to the Tigers midfield next Sunday of Manu Tuilagi and Matt Toomua.

Johann van Graan’s first week as a head coach is one he is unlikely to forget, says Donal Lenihan.

Johann van Graan’s reign as Munster head coach got off to a flying start in Cork on Saturday night but the new man in charge will have to sweat on the fitness of Simon Zebo ahead of next weekend’s Champions Cup pool showdown with Leicester Tigers, writes Simon Lewis.

Alex Wootton needs no encouragement to grab his chance to impress Munster’s new head coach Johann van Graan and if he continues his current try-scoring run, he will soon find himself in pole position for a Champions Cup wing berth.

"He was an impressive man back then. He had a presence when he walked into a room."

“He’s come through the hard way.”

Bernard Jackman believes Johann van Graan is the perfect man to succeed Rassie Erasmus as Munster boss.