Munster CEO Flanagan refuses to be rushed into head coach decision

It is 11 weeks since Rowntree’s shock departure by mutual consent, but Ian Flanagan has not been counting and will not start now.

Munster coaching team, from left, defence coach Denis Leamy, interim head coach Ian Costello and attack coach Mike Prendergast before the Investec Champions Cup Pool 3 match between Northampton Saints and Munster. Pic: Matt Impey/Sportsfile

Mike Prendergast is a “very strong candidate”, in the words of his chief executive, to become Munster’s next head coach but Ian Flanagan will not be rushed into appointing Graham Rowntree’s permanent replacement.

It is 11 weeks since Rowntree’s shock departure by mutual consent, but Flanagan has not been counting and will not start now, despite Prendergast’s declaration of his candidacy for the post on December 10 being the only solid development on the matter to emerge in the public domain.