Denis Leamy hoping to milk Ronan O'Gara for Toulon info

Munster’s coaches will reconnect with the province’s old boy network in the opening months of 2026

Munster's Head Coach Clayton McMillan and Defence Coach Denis Leamy. Pic: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

The inside track from Ronan O’Gara and a reunion with Felix Jones and Jerry Flannery will see Munster’s coaches reconnect with the province’s old boy network in the opening months of 2026 as thoughts turn to a significant anniversary in the province’s rich European history.

Munster Rugby have unveiled plans for a Gala Celebration Dinner to mark the 2006 Heineken Cup triumph 20 years ago, which will take place at Cork’s Rochestown Park Hotel on Thursday, April 9, with the aim of “uniting past players, supporters, and partners for an evening of memories, celebration, and true Munster spirit”.

Before then there will be some professional contact made in the New Year as the current set-up prepares to face Champions Cup pool rivals Toulon at Stade Felix Mayol on Sunday, January 11.

While Munster’s lead-in game to their latest adventure in the south of France will be their visit to URC derby rivals Ulster on Friday night, Toulon must visit O’Gara’s La Rochelle at Stade Marcel Deflandre this Sunday night and defence coach Denis Leamy is confident their next opponents will be brought into any conversations with their former team-mate that follow the fixture.

“There's a number of people in this building that will talk to Rog on a regular basis so I'm sure the conversation will be brought around to Toulon at some stage from that point of view and see what he makes of it,” Leamy said this week.

The former Munster and Ireland back row is less keen, however, on locking horns with former team-mates Jones and Flannery, whose temporary secondment from the world-champion South African national team to URC rivals the Bulls was announced by the SARU last week.

Munster must travel to Pretoria to face the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld for URC round 14, their fixture at altitude scheduled for Saturday, March 28, a week after their first South African away game against the Sharks at sea level in Durban.

Reacting to the appointments of the two former Munster stalwarts, Leamy said: “You never get too surprised when things happen in this game. Anything can happen really.

“Yes, look, it's not something that's uncommon really. You see national coaches being parachuted in, I think (Ireland scrum coach) John Fogarty was above in Ulster at one stage working with them. So that can happen.

“I think it's something that Felix and Jerry will embrace and no doubt do a very good job. Unfortunately, we have to go there in March so we'll get to witness that first-hand.”