Van Graan exit ain’t the mess it appears for Munster Rugby but questions remain
Munster head coach Johann van Graan and forwards coach Graham Rowntree. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie
The end-of-season departure of Munster head coach Johann van Graan so soon after his assistant Stephen Larkham confirmed a similar exit timeline suggests a haemorrhaging province in an unhealthy state of flux.
“It's a mess, ain’t it, Sheriff?,” Deputy Wendell says to Tommy Lee Jones in ‘No Country for Old Men’.
“If it ain’t, it'll do till a mess gets here.”
In fact, it’s nothing as deleterious as that.
Firstly, those within the walls of Munster Rugby suspected for some time that Van Graan was approaching the back end of his time in Munster. The link with Bath in the English Premiership – where benefactors happily plough funds into their passion - only served to confirm as much.
Larkham’s loss was, in at least one respect, a bigger blow insofar as he was a viable option to step up and into Van Graan’s shoes. The opening for a head coach job at the Brumbies in his native Canberra was fortuitous timing as the Wallaby was already grappling with an awkward family decision on when to return to Australia.
One of his kids is now at college-going age and the whereabouts of that, allied to the fact that they hadn’t been able to see their extended family at home due to Covid travel restrictions, has undoubtedly hastened Larkham’s departure from Limerick. All things being equal, he would have liked to stay longer in Ireland.
However, Van Graan’s decision not to renew with Munster merits deliberation before everyone gallops onto the succession stakes. The 41-year-old, who replaced Rassie Erasmus four years ago, has been offered a contract extension up to 2023, so Munster are by no means hooshing the South African out the door.
"While I was at advanced stages in the contract process earlier this year, I took a step back and reconsidered my options, prioritising what's best for my family, myself, and Munster Rugby," the South African said. "I am now into my fifth season with this group and in putting Munster first I believe it’s the right decision for me to call time on my contribution and step away at the end of this season.”
That the former Springbok assistant believes now is a good time to leave town could be interpreted as a lack of belief on his part in Munster’s ability to end their trophyless years. That Van Graan fears that the gap between Munster and Leinster isn’t closing as fast as he would like, or indeed anytime soon. That with budgets tightening, marquee signings that make the difference in the key moments, like Damien de Allende or RG Snyman, may not be financially feasible in the short to medium term. That Munster may have to change model and revert to unearthing local gems, some of which we saw in Coventry last Sunday. If that is the case – and for sure, it was a red-letter Sunday for the academy – the Munster ‘famine’, certainly in European Cup terms may have a while in it yet. He may well be right. Management’s exit interviews with Van Graan and Larkham would be insightful.
In relation to who comes in next season, at least Van Graan’s and Larkham’s summer departures remove complication and clear the decks for the province in terms of the construction of a new management package – importantly too, it removes any potential ideological complications for a prospective coach (re)joining the province.
If, for instance, Mike Prendergast was to return to his native province as assistant to a new head coach – let’s say Graham Rowntree – the former scrum-half is starting on his terms rather than knitting into an existing management structure.
It won’t take long for a section of Munster following to vent support for a more indigenous coaching ticket, and it is something that the likes of Ronan O’Gara has proffered an opinion on in these pages. The late, lamented Garrett Fitzgerald pledged that Munster would always scan the rugby world – such as is it – for the best coaching option. One difference with that approach these days – Munster-born options are more plentiful now than they were then.
One bookmaker Tuesday shortened the odds to 10/11 on a fairytale O’Gara return from La Rochelle to his first rugby love. Similarly, Paul O’Connell’s phone has been beeping relentlessly all day, one presumes, wondering, ‘well, would ya..?’
Would either of them realistically consider a Munster return at this juncture? Highly unlikely, one imagines.
O’Connell is making serious progress in the Ireland set-up and must be seen as a potential post-2023 replacement for Andy Farrell if the Englishman was to call it a day. Similarly, O’Gara’s stock in world rugby nowadays is such that the IRFU would do well to turn his head. The intrigue of Paulie v ROG for the next Irish head coaching gig is too compelling already.
In terms of timing for Munster, Prendergast must be a live contender to come home from Paris and be part of next season’s coaching ticket perhaps as assistant to Rowntree.
In an Irish Examiner column two weeks ago O’Gara wrote of his French-based compatriot: “If I was involved with Munster, I’d be making it my business to check him out without delay.
“I listen to Donnacha Ryan talking about him from their time together at Racing 92. Not only does he believe Mike to be an excellent coach, but any of the players you strike up a conversation with, he invariably crops up in the conversation for the work he is doing in Paris. Players really like his manner, insofar as he is very low on the stress scale. Whatever the opposite of a bollocker is, that’s Prendy, which is interesting in the context of the Top 14’s relentlessness and stress.
“He is an attack coach by trade, but he has an impressive grasp of the whole game at this stage. But being a nine, I am sure the attack side of the game is the area that floats his boat. The key issue is where is his ambition at. At this stage, the environment is more important to him that a job title. I am not sure the title of attack coach or head coach would interest him as much as dealing with the right people in the right set up.”
The initial vibe from Munster is that they would certainly be interested in a conversation with Prendergast. They have yet to indicate the contractual status of defence coach JP Ferreira or scrum coach Rowntree going forward, but the former Tigers stalwart has certainly made a favourable impression with Munster.
Rowntree offers the advantage of continuity. He is one of a small group who knows how near, or far, Munster are from turning European semi-finals into finals and finals into trophies. Prendergast’s return would be a smart bit of business if Munster can get it done. But there are no guarantees.
Johann van Graan and Stephen Larkham will confirm as much.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
