Munster search for new head coach could continue until January

SEARCH CONTINUES: IRFU chief executive Kevin Potts has suggested Munster’s search for a new head coach to replace Graham Rowntree will continue until at least into January. Picture: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

IRFU chief executive Kevin Potts has suggested Munster’s search for a new head coach to replace Graham Rowntree will continue until at least into January.

Rowntree left Munster by mutual consent at the end of October, just six games into his third season at the helm, with the province unwilling to shed any light on the reason’s for the URC title-winning boss and URC coach of the year’s sudden exit.

Potts was also tightlipped on the matter as he faced the media to discuss the IRFU’s annual accounts at Aviva Stadium on Thursday and was asked to shed light on what led to Rowntree’s departure.

"I can't. The statement that was issued when Graham departed was the statement and I can't add any more to that. I'm sure you understand."

As for the search for a permanent replacement, the IRFU CEO preferred to pass on the matter to his Performance Director David Humphreys, who he promised would address the matter in January.

"I'll leave that to David and his briefing,” Potts said, “but David Humphreys is very involved in that together with the Munster Professional Game Committee and the relevant high performance leads down in Munster.

“So it's ongoing but by the time David does his briefing in January, there'll probably be more about that."

That looks an extended double-jobbing role for Munster’s Head of Operations and interim head coach Ian Costello, whose first competitive fixture in charge of the team will be when the 2022-23 champions return to URC action on Saturday night against the Lions in Thomond Park. Munster managed just two wins in their opening six matches of the campaign under Rowntree but were this week boosted by new two-year contracts for attack coach Mike Prendergast and defence coach Denis Leamy, the surviving members of the frontline title-winning coaching ticket following last week’s departure of forwards coach Andi Kyriacou.