McKenzie in Munster running

NEW SOUTH Wales coach Ewen McKenzie is poised to turn down the top coach job at cash-rich French club Stade Francais and is looking to pursue his career in Ireland.

With Munster CEO Garrett Fitzgerald already on the record saying there has been interest in the head coach’s job at the Irish province from abroad, McKenzie is now believed to be in the running for the position.

However, McKenzie will have to compete against Munster defence/backs Tony McGahan and connacht director of rugby Michael Bradley, for the Munster position.

McGahan has been Munster’s defence coach for two-and-half-years, is highly regarded in Cork.

The Queenslander has been instrumental in helping Munster reach the Heineken Cup final and has a lot of support among the players. He has also received an offer to assist Kidney at the Irish national team.

McKenzie was expected to take the Stade Francais job, but he has had second thoughts about coaching the Paris-based team. He has been talking to Stade Francais since before the Waratahs announced on April 1 that they would not be renewing his contract at the end of the Super 14 season.

After McKenzie guided the Waratahs into the Super 14 semi-finals with an 18-11 win against Queensland in Brisbane on Saturday, he even floated the idea of remaining in Sydney.

But this feeler did not meet with favour from Waratahs officials who had already decided to let him go. Even Waratahs players are saying both publicly that McKenzie should accept the NSWRU’s decision and leave.