Contract talks with Peter O'Mahony are 'ongoing' says Denis Leamy

Munster's Calvin Nash celebrates scoring a try with Peter O'Mahony.

Munster’s efforts to keep Peter O’Mahony at the province beyond this season are “ongoing” according to assistant coach Denis Leamy, following reports the former captain has not been offered a new deal for 2024-25.

The 34-year-old flanker continues to prove his worth to Munster and returned from an eight-week shoulder injury lay-off last Saturday to inspire Munster to a famous Champions Cup pool victory at Toulon that ended a six-week period without a win.

Yet O’Mahony, who stepped down as captain after a decade in the role following his return from World Cup duty with Ireland, will come to an end of his central IRFU contract next summer and his future remains in doubt with head coach Graham Rowntree and now Leamy insisting Munster are in contract talks with their talismanic back-rower.

"It's an ongoing process,” defence coach Leamy said on Tuesday as he looked forward to Saturday night’s Champions Cup final-round pool clash with Pool 3 table toppers Northampton Saints. “I think Wig (Rowntree) has probably spoken about it over the last while. It's an ongoing process and it's probably unfair for me to comment any further than that. That's still ongoing so we'll just have to wait and see how that pans out."

Leamy, a former team-mate of O’Mahony’s did not pull any punches about the importance the Test centurion still represented to his home province, almost a dozen years on from his Champions Cup debut against Saints at Thomond Park in November 2011.

“Pete is a great standard-driver. Obviously he has great experience and he has been around a long time at this stage. That game was played in 2011 and he has had a lot of big games for Munster — and Ireland and the Lions — in between. He just brings a great calmness, a great standard-setter and just his ability to play rugby as well is fantastic.

“It was great to have him back for last Saturday, he brought everyone with him, great leadership, he’s someone that I think makes others feel better about themselves and certainly in the south of France, you need everyone feeling good about themselves. Pete was a great addition last Saturday.” O’Mahony was one of four senior players who passed fit for the trip to Stade Felix Mayol last weekend alongside hooker Niall Scannell, centre Alex Nankivell and replacement fly-half Joey Carbery, with Leamy confirming all of them had shown no ill-effects following impactful contributions to the 28-19 victory that means Munster still have a shot at a top-two finish in the pool and a home draw for at least the Round of 16 knockout stage in April.

"We just had to look at their training load the last couple of days but all are on track to be involved at the weekend again, so that's really good for us."

Tighthead prop Oli Jager was also “looking good” for a comeback from the head injury he sustained against Connacht in the January 1 URC derby clash in Galway. He has yet to complete his return to play protocols and Leamy said of the November signing from Crusaders: "It's ongoing.

“Oli trained today and he seemed to come through pretty well. We'll see how that goes in the next 24 hours but fingers crossed, he's looking good. We're hopeful."

Leamy spoke of the relief felt within the coaching group at returning from France with no fresh injuries following a two-month period of mounting casualties.

“Yeah, it really is. It’s a funny old game, isn’t it? In Connacht we lose two players in the first-half (Jager and Jack O’Donoghue) to bad injuries.

“Sometimes that happens but it’s brilliant to get on a plane and guys were in good spirits. We’re after winning and you look at the medical report and it’s almost all green. There’s a couple of ambers and that’s never the worst thing. Yeah, it was good to see that.” Not so good for O’Donoghue, however, who is facing three to four months on the sidelines though the back-rower will not require surgery on the knee injury he sustained at The Sportground in a tackle which earned Connacht wing Byron Ralston a yellow card and a three-week suspension.

"Look, it is bad news. There's a silver lining there in that, I wasn't speaking to him today, but we expected the worst after the incident. It was unfortunate in terms of the injury he sustained but three or four months isn't the end of the world, fortunately. You could be looking at six to nine from that point of view.

"He's a guy we'll miss, a great squad player. The Six Nations is coming up and he would have been vital to us over that period with his leadership and his experience. Unfortunately, that's not to be but fingers crossed he'll be back before the end of the season."