Ronan O'Gara: Munster and Rowntree share some important values. That's a good start

That Munster is Rowntree’s first venture into head coaching is a complete non-issue. We all start somewhere.

VALUE SYSTEM: What  Graha Rowntree said in his opening press conference as Munster's next head coach "struck a chord" with Ronan O'Gara.

IT’S easy to like Graham Rowntree as a person. We were on that Lions tour to Australia in 2001 and the perception is a fact. He is a decent, honest, hard-working guy who holds dear a lot of values that Munster people will readily associate with. As a coach, I can’t judge him because we haven’t worked together.

The coaching landscape is littered with hard-nosed ex-front rows who end up being asked the same question out of the gate – have they the coaching vision to change up Munster’s style of play. As if a former life prevents them from doing so. Much more relevant to Rowntree and Munster now is whether he and his coaching group will deliver certainty to the players about how they want to play – and not revert to old ways when the pressure comes on.