Duncan Casey: Rowntree departure won't fix long-term Munster issues bubbling under surface

Persistent rumours of major run-ins between Rowntree and some senior Munster players in recent seasons are not wide of the mark

RUGBY RARITY: Graham Rowntree has departed as Munster head coach six games into the season. Pic: Inpho

Graham Rowntree must feel hard done by. A departure by ‘mutual agreement’ is rarely mutual and you don’t need a magnifying glass to read between the lines. Sacking the boss six games into a league campaign is something we have grown accustomed to in football but it’s a rarity in rugby, and I never envisaged it happening at a club like Munster.

Fans have reacted poorly, and understandably so. Supporting Munster has been a labour of love at times in the last decade and this was the man who finally ended an 11-year trophy drought. He is an affable and engaging guy who always made time for the public and his no-nonsense approach to the media, telling it like it is and not shying away from accountability, endeared him to many.