Munster rugby review 'not an investigation, disciplinary process or a fault-finding exercise'

Views are being sought from players and non-playing staff, and a broad range of others with a direct interest in how Munster Rugby is governed and run

Munster Rugby chief Ian Flanagan. 

The independent chair of the governance and organisational review commissioned by Munster Rugby says there is a genuine appetite for change and transformational improvements behind the ongoing process.

Munster Rugby’s Board instituted the review in the wake of the province’s decision not to proceed with the hiring of New Zealander Roger Randle as attack coach for next season. Randle had been appointed to re-join his former Chiefs boss, current Munster head coach Clayton McMillan, this summer but the resurfacing of historic allegations of rape made against the hiree on social media prompted a backlash among supporters and resignations from Munster’s Professional Games Committee over the manner in which the former New Zealand wing was appointed.

There was a mutual agreement between the coach and Munster not to proceed with the hiring and McMillan has since turned to former Ireland international Jared Payne as his attack coach for next season. Randle has consistently denied the allegations made against him in Durban, South Africa, while touring as a Hurricanes player in 1997 and no legal proceedings were brought against him.

Following the commissioning of the independent review, being conducted by The Governance Company, Munster chief executive Ian Flanagan publicly apologised for his organisation’s mishandling of the affair and the reputational damage caused to it.

That review is now underway and its independently appointed chair Martin Kelleher issued a first statement on Monday, in which he outlined its remit and emphasised it was not seeking “to attribute blame to individuals”.

The statement said: “The Independent Governance and Organisational Review of Munster Rugby is underway and progressing. As part of that work, confidential surveys will issue to a range of Munster Rugby stakeholders in the near term.

“The Board of Munster Rugby has commissioned the Review to assess whether the organisation's governance, leadership, culture, engagement and communication, organisational and operational arrangements are appropriate and effective.

“The Review is forward looking in nature. It is not an investigation, a disciplinary process or a fault-finding exercise, and it does not seek to attribute blame to individuals. Its purpose is to support learning and reform, to strengthen governance, accountability and decision making, and to position Munster Rugby for long term sustainability.

“The Review is the responsibility of the independent Chair, Martin Kelleher, and a Board appointed Steering Group. It is being conducted by The Governance Company, an independent consultancy specialising in corporate governance, led by David W. Duffy.

“The Chair is independent of Munster Rugby and holds no conflict of interest that could compromise objectivity. The Chair and the Steering Group report independently to the Board. The conduct of the Review, its methodology, its evidence and its conclusions are matters for the Chair, the Steering Group and the Reviewer, and not for the executive or management of Munster Rugby.

“As part of the Review, the views of key internal and external stakeholders are being sought. This includes playing and non-playing staff, and a broad range of others with a direct interest in how Munster Rugby is governed and run. The review is taking place with the full support of the IRFU. Engagement is being conducted through structured interviews and confidential surveys, alongside a review of documentation and benchmarking against good practice.

“Confidentiality is a fundamental part of the process. It encourages honest participation, protects the privacy of those taking part, and preserves the integrity and fairness of the Review. Individual contributions will not be disclosed. The interest of the Review is in the themes and the evidence that emerge.” 

Kelleher added: “The Review is independent, it is structured, and it is underway. We are hearing directly from those who know this organisation best, including staff across the province, and in the coming weeks we will be asking a wider group of stakeholders for their views. We are doing so in a way that allows people to speak freely and in confidence.

“While there is understandable interest in this process, a review of this kind is not undertaken in public. It is conducted through evidence, and evidence takes the time it takes. We will not shorten that work to meet a deadline, nor will we let it drift. When we have concluded, we will report our findings and recommendations to the Board. I firmly believe there is an appetite from the Board for change and transformational improvements in the short and longer term and this review will be the foundation for that change” 

Once completed the review will report its “findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with an executive summary suitable for wider stakeholder communication”.

The Munster Rugby Board will formally consider the findings and is responsible for determining and implementing the actions arising, while the IRFU will have both input to the review and full view of the report.

The statement concluded: “The Review will not comment on its emerging findings while its work is ongoing. No further detail on the process will be provided at this stage, in order to protect the confidentiality of participants and the integrity of the work.”