Mike Prendergast remains a front runner for the vacant top job at Munster

Denis Leamy pens new two year deal with Munster but has ruled himself out of the head coach role. Mike Prendergast also signed new deal but remains a contender for the top job.

Wed, 27 Nov, 2024 - 06:39

Simon Lewis

For Denis Leamy, signing a new contract was more than just about a fixed-term job at his home province but the two-year deals signed by him and fellow assistant Mike Prendergast bring no new clarity on who will succeed Graham Rowntree as Munster head coach.

Leamy on Tuesday ruled himself out of the running to step up from defence coach to the Munster hot seat vacated by Rowntree last month, just weeks into his third season in the role.

Both he and attack coach Prendergast have committed to their home province until the summer of 2027, having rejoined in 2022 from Leinster and Racing 92 respectively.

Yet while Prendergast remains a front runner for the top job, a position he is yet to comment publicly on, and Leamy declared himself happy to continue in his present post, both men now appear to be part of the package any outside appointment will inherit.

Former team-mate Felix Jones, now a double World Cup-winning coach currently a quarter-way through a year’s notice period with England, has been linked with a return while former English boss, ex-Leinster senior coach and current Racing 92 head man Stuart Lancaster had his name thrown into the Munster mix in France on Tuesday.

Leamy, for one, described the situation as perfectly acceptable as he continues to work at the province with whom he won two Heineken Cups as a player in 2006 and 2008. He will not just serve at the pleasure of the new Munster boss but will be excited to do so having been part of the coaching group that won the URC title in 2023 and given opportunity to a new generation of home-produced young players.

“Absolutely, and I’m very thankful for that,” the former Ireland back-rower said. “It means an awful lot that it’s Munster and you never take that for granted. As a player you never take the jersey for granted and every time you represent Munster it’s important that you give it the respect it deserves.

“Just getting a new contract, it’s more than just a job, for us lads who grew up here, anyway. It means an awful lot to us and legacy is more important than term of contract or anything like that. It’s what we achieve and what we win and the players we develop, that’s the most important thing.

“I’m delighted to commit for another couple of years. It’s where I’m from, where I grew up and where I played all my club career, so it means an awful lot to me and it’s great I’ve had the opportunity to sign a two-year contract to work with this group of players who are a great bunch I’m looking forward to hopefully developing and improving and bringing us to another level.

“It’s very exciting. There’s a lot of really good things going on here and good young players starting to emerge and come through so hugely positive and there’s a lot to look forward to.”

While he praised the instant uplift provided by forwards coach consultant Alex Codling, on secondment from the Ireland Women’s coaching team to plug the vacuum created by last Friday’s departure of Rowntree lieutenant Andi Kyriacou, Leamy accepted he and Prendergast’s continued presence could provide the playing squad with much-needed stability well beyond the current interregnum.

“Well you hope that it’s really important to the lads. You hope that it gives us a continuing game plan in terms of what we’ve done and what we’ve been able to implement over the last couple of years and trying to develop that and layer on our bits to try and strengthen us is really important.

“Hopefully that continuity piece is important to the group. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed our time here. We’ve had some really, really big wins along the way. It’s been challenging but Munster’s always been like that. It always presents the ups and downs and the rollercoaster but that’s just something that goes with the territory.

“It’s never easy but it’s where you want to be and we’ve enjoyed that aspect thoroughly and we’re very lucky to have a great stuff with us to help us day to day and a really good bunch of players who consistently turn up and go to war for us.

“We’re just doubling down on that now for the moment, trying to get the best out of our group.”

Leamy said the ongoing search for Rowntree’s successor was not distracting preparations for this Saturday’s URC resumption at home to the in-form Lions as Munster try to kickstart their campaign following four losses in their first six league matches.

Yet he did concede the ongoing drama was integral to life at his home province.

“Munster is Munster and it’s never straightforward, it’s never easy. It’s because people care so much and there’s huge interest and it’s really important that never changes because you’ve got a massive fan base and a bunch of people in here who want to be successful and do really well so there’s always a pressure that comes with that.

“That to me is a good thing and something, you know, we’ll keep our standards high. We’re going through a transition, there’s going to be difficult components of that but there’s so much to be excited about as well, just an awful lot of good stuff happening too.”