Philip Quinn calls time on 19 years at Munster after CEO job disappointment

Quinn said he's 'leaving on a high' after the staging of Munster's Champions Cup clash with Racing 92 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh proved to be a lucrative event

After 19 years with the province, Philip Quinn has stepped down as Munster COO. Pic: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Philip Quinn has backed new interim chief executive Avan Lee to be a fantastic appointment for Munster Rugby, having decided to quit as chief operating officer after being overlooked for the top job.

Quinn, who was acting chief executive between 2018-19, will step down shortly after 19 years at the province. The decision to step away comes less than a month after Ian Flanagan announced his intention to quit as CEO, sparking New Zealander Lee’s appointment as the successor.

The Munster Rugby Board was this week due to see the Independent Governance and Organisational Review it had commissioned in the wake of the Roger Randle controversy but it is understood that is unconnected with Quinn’s decision to step away.

Lee, the former Hurricanes chief executive, began his role at Munster’s Cork headquarters this week and will be at Aviva Stadium for the URC derby with Leinster on Saturday evening and an extra task on his hands to find a new COO.

Quinn, 47, is seeking a new challenge in a different environment but gave his backing to the new CEO and told the Irish Examiner he wants his own successor to continue building the foundations he has helped to lay.

“The time is right for me now,” he said of his departure. “Disappointed not to be considered around the CEO role but look, this has been coming for longer than that, 19 years is a long time.

“Avan is a great guy, we’ve had some really nice chats this week, and I think he’ll be fantastic for the province. Part of me is gutted not to be working with him on it but I think it’s the right time for everyone and Munster have a clean slate and drive forward.”

The Corkman said he believed he was leaving his role on a personal high following the staging of Munster’s Champions Cup pool game with Racing 92 at SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh, the fourth match to be hosted at the home of Cork GAA since 2022-23.

While the fixture drew the smallest crowd of the four to be played at the Leeside stadium, 24,906, Quinn said it had been a lucrative event for the financially-pressured province.

“It’s been an amazing 19 years, I’ve absolutely loved it. There’s been ups and downs, I’ve been involved in every capital project and there’s huge pride in the staging the matches at Pairc Ui Chaoimh," he said.

“There’s been divisiveness about venues but that match last Saturday was the second-most profitable match we’ve ever hosted, behind Gloucester (at the same venue last season), more profitable than a Leinster sell-out (at Thomond Park).

“So I’m leaving on a high in my own view and hopefully who comes in after can take it to the next level with Avan.

“I’ll miss the people and there’s been a bit of Garrett’s legacy driving me over the last few years in terms of the Cork Centre of Excellence and Pairc Ui Chaoimh, both of which were big milestones for us.”