Rugby: Munster will spread the net wide in search

Munster will cast the net "far and wide" in their search for a new coaching team for next season, officials declared last night.

Several names, amongst them Cork Constitution’s Brian Hickey, ex-Irish coach Murray Kidd of Sunday’s Well, Australian John Connolly, deposed Irish coach Warren Gatland and even Mick Galwey, who is expected to retire at the end of the season, have been mentioned.

Connolly is a non-runner and Munster team manager Jerry Holland insisted yesterday that, while the weeding out process is already underway, there was a lot of ground to cover in the coming weeks or months if necessary.

"This is too big an issue to resolve overnight. The IRFU are the employers and I am sure they will allow the people involved in Munster to have an input into the process, but at the end of the day it will be their decision."

Following the announcement of Niall O’Donovan’s appointment as forwards coach to the Irish national team, the Munster Branch paid tribute to O’Donovan for the role he played in helping the province to a huge element of success.

"Everybody involved with Munster is delighted with Niall O’Donovan’s appointment to the national coaching team following on the recent appointment of Declan Kidney as assistant coach.

"Munster’s policy has always been for the players to achieve national recognition, and the same applies to our coaching staff," said Holland.

The manager stressed that he, Declan Kidney and Niall O’Donovan will be in charge of all team affairs up to May 31, not just up to the end of the Heineken Cup campaign.

"This allows ample time to appoint a coach and assistant coach for the coming season.

"In recognising the tremendous support that now exists for the Munster team and the relationship built up with supporters and sponsors alike it is crucial that adequate time be allowed to ensure the right people are put in place to progress the current levels of achievement into the future," said Holland.

The IRFU, mindful of the fact that they had two gems in Kidney and O’Donovan, will be conscious of the views within Munster that people of the right calibre are found to replace them. Kidney and O’Donovan also linked up with the Ireland A team and this elevation appears to be a natural progression.

But the heart of Ireland’s improvement in fortunes, apart from the crucial role played by the clubs in helping develop players, has been in the role played by the provinces. Munster will lose stalwarts Galwey and Peter Clohessy next year and they will be involved in a certain amount of re-building. To have lost coaches Kidney and O’Donovan within a one month has left a gaping hole in the structure in Munster.

A compromise partnership is the most likely outcome. They may settle for a foreign coach or a foreign assistant coach but, knowing Munster, there will almost certainly be a demand for a serious input from somebody "home grown."