MUNSTER HEAD COACH Graham Rowntree said there is no issue with Peter O’Mahony’s contract negotiations and that talks are ongoing with the player along with several others whose deals finish next summer.
And Rowntree is hopeful that O’Mahony, who suffered a shoulder injury against the Stormers on his first game back from the World Cup, will be back for their next game, a Champions Cup away tie against Toulon on January 13.
“There’s ongoing contract negotiations all the time,” said Rowntree after their 22-9 loss to Connacht on Monday.
“No, there’s no issue,” said Rowntree when asked about O’Mahony.
“There’s ongoing contract negotiations all the time. I’m not going to, I’m not able to comment at the moment. Yeah, that’s ongoing, another little thing to keep me busy in the day.
“I suspect he’ll be in the mix for Toulon currently. We’ll know more by the end of this week.
“We’ve tried to bring him back. We’ve not rushed him back, but on each occasion he’s not quite been ready so it gets pushed on a week.
“We have a gap week now, an off week, there’s no game this weekend so we’ll assess him towards the end of the week.”
Rowntree, who is currently dealing with a casualty list in the region of 20 players, said that Joey Carbery could also be available for that game in Toulon but may have to wait until the following week’s tie at home to Northampton Saints.
“Joey will be available I’d say, by the end of the month. We could get him back a bit earlier, for Toulon but we’re looking at Saints at the moment,” added Rowntree, who also confirmed that RG Snyman’s expected return has not changed from March.
Meanwhile, Munster will be looking to end a run that has seen them win just one of their last six games when they travel to France, but Rowntree said they are not panicking.
“We’re not winning games but we’re not getting smashed in games either. We’re doing lots of good things, high turnover of players, lots of moving parts. We’re sticking in games.
“We’ve got to learn from games quickly. When the parts are moving consistently, changing personnel, it’s difficult.
“A rut? Yeah, a rut where we’re not winning games, yeah, we are in a rut. We’re not winning games but we’re not getting blown away,” added Rowntree.
