MUNSTER AND THE IRFU have confirmed that Graham Rowntree has left his position as head coach of the province by mutual agreement.
Ian Costello, Munster’s head of rugby operations, has stepped up as interim head coach ahead of this weekend’s friendly against the All Blacks XV.
Munster and the IRFU have begun the search for a new permanent head coach.
Rowntree first joined Munster as an assistant coach in 2019 and was promoted to the head coach role in 2022, leading the province to a URC title in his first season in charge.
Munster were beaten at home in the URC semi-finals last season, while they were knocked out of the Champions Cup in the Round of 16.
The southern province have made a poor start to the current URC campaign, sitting 12th after two wins from six games.
Rowntree had been contracted until the summer of 2026 but has now left the province.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here in Munster working with a very talented group of players and coaches,” said Rowntree.
“I would like to thank the wider Munster family for all the support they have shown me in my time here but now is the right stage for my family and I to look forward to a new chapter.”
Munster CEO Ian Flanagan wished Rowntree well.
“We would like to thank Graham for his passion and dedication to Munster Rugby over the past five years, and I would like to wish him and his family the very best for the future on behalf of Munster Rugby,” said Flanagan.
“With the All Blacks XV coming to a sold-out Thomond Park this weekend and a number of big games on the horizon in November and December, our focus will be on continuing to support the coaches and the players for the season ahead.”
This seems a bizarre move. Can’t really understand the logic 6 games into a season.
@Carmine Lorenzo: we start badly every season and always come good but Saturday was just embarrassing I still think he would have turned it around. who knows.
@Carmine Lorenzo: ridiculous to get rid of him.
@Carmine Lorenzo: And to think that he was URC coach of the year in June this year! Something terribly amiss here…
@Carmine Lorenzo: I saw this coming. You can’t ask your players to go out and put their bodies on the line and you not even raise an objection as your rival cheats and laughs at you in the national media. Name any manager worth their salt that would leave that ride. Referees make mistakes, but refusing to speak to the captain while Leinster officials are dictating to his assistants on the sideline is simply unforgivable. This specific activity illegally deprived Munster of their full complement of players as Leinster scored a try. For Munster to not raise the issue is unbelievable. I liked the guy but managers need to fight for and support their players.
@Cormac McCarthy: Ah Cormac… can’t read your drivel anymore. Sorry. Have a mute for yourself!! You are in an exclusive club!
@Cormac McCarthy: Jesus Cormac. That’s some victim complex you’re building. Sure blame everybody else, except anything or anybody internally. It’s not Leinsters problem that Munsters academy is not producing world class player. Go have a sit down buddy.
@Carmine Lorenzo: stunned.
@Cormac McCarthy: get off the drugs mate.
@Cormac McCarthy: Can’t believe a grown adult actually posted this. You need to get a life or help.
@Cormac McCarthy: He’s the most dedicated rugby manager Munster ever had (yes, everhad!). You are some numpty!
@Mick Joe: You must not have read my post. I am blaming Munster. Not supporting the players who literally put their bodies on the line. First rule of management is support and fight for your team (have their back). Don’t support them and you can lose them.
@Cormac McCarthy: You were quite specific, “Name any manager worth their salt that would leave that ride. “. You weren’t addressing Munster management but the manager! Otherwise, you made a mistake with your text but you didn’t say that above.
@Cormac McCarthy: lord god almighty what sort of s#/,£e are you talking at all. You almost make Ray Ridge look like he knows what he’s talking about…
@Cormac McCarthy: What a pathetic comment. Munster could do without supporters like you, always busting to point the finger at anyone else underneath your tinfoil hat. In all honesty, you sound like trump. That’s about as bad as it gets
@Cormac McCarthy: Rent free
@Paul Ennis:@Stephen Nolan:@PJ Smith:@anthony davoren:@Con Cussed:@QuinsStoop. Thanks for replying to me.
I realise Leinster supporters and Munster supporters don’t always agree. My point has nothing to do with Leinster. It is up to Leinster/URC to explain the actions of their officials. My point is how Munster responded. All rugby players take risks on the field of play. They put their bodies on the line. 3 Munster players came off with head injuries. The narrative after the game was that Munster were far inferior and the players were substandard. It was incumbent on Munster management to support their players and highlight how the result was tainted. By not doing so they showed disrespect to their players. If management don’t support the players – it is time to go.
I don’t think any Munster supporter would have wanted Rowntree gone. I hope the board and Graham understand that.
@Shane O’Keeffe: well said
@Shane O’Keeffe: absolutely, he was still popular among fans and rightly so . There would have been no fan pressure to get rid. Some of his assistants- forwards, S&C in particular were not performing well. Could he have tried to make changes and was prevented from doing so?
@Shane O’Keeffe: this surprising for sure! I would have been more supportive if the headline read that Munster decision makers at Executive level has been shaken up.
@Michael Corkery: I totally agree with you
Surely something else going on in the background.
@Cg: didn’t he and POM have an issue?
@aidan prior: do tell ….?
@Cg: I guess the pod will have some info later
@Laup Ekrub: the delay in offering POM a new contract last season left a sour taste.
@aidan cheers , there’s some ugly speculation about some private life matters going on too in background I believe
It wasn’t Rowntree who was responsible for Munster’s dire defence, but homeboy Denis Leamy. In the last match, Munster completed less than 70% of their tackles – practically unheard of from a professional team. Rowntree can’t go onto the pitch and show them how to tackle. Suboptimal players without the work ethic, but the head coach who coached them to their first silverware in a decade is the one to face the chop.
@JoeVlogs: also, their skills and handling are terrible, but doubt they will sack Mossy Lawlor, uncle of Craig Casey. Jobs for the boys
@JoeVlogs: That’s Munster in a nutshell…. It’s not the player it’s who your connected too… There’s a few more players that funding is keeping them in the Jersey and NOT their playing skill set….
@JoeVlogs: while DL might not be a great coach (for the sake argument) let’s put things into perspective. They’re professional rugby players, they know how to tackle and Leamy wasn’t out there on the field, the players are woefully out of form.
@JoeVlogs: Didn’t see Leamy (or Prendie) at the Sharks game, no explanation as to the whereabouts of Coombes etc. Don’t agree about the players, maybe RS, things like this really effect teams and momentum. I’m sure you didn’t mind Mossy when he was at Connacht eh?
@Thesaltyurchin: nope, didn’t mind, because there wasn’t any nepotism involved.
@JoeVlogs: Totally agree but unfortunately the buck stops with the manager rightly or wrongly. Sport is ruthlessly results driven…..the nature and level of their defeats says it all. But as you say Munster were so poor in many areas of their game you would wonder if the individual coaches are held accountable at all. Questionable signings, release of players from contracts, think there may be more going on in the background than we know….
@JoeVlogs: Ridiculous to think any of it isn’t based on merit OR that little Craig Casey has some kind of sway with the organisation. You never change Joe, impossible to reason with through all the ‘conspiracy theories’, there’s a thousand examples across all provinces, but I cant be bothered with you anymore.
@Thesaltyurchin: you’d be better off reading the enquirer
@Thesaltyurchin: You said that the other day. Could be something in it!! Maybe a huge row and Munster are backing to local boys? Or maybe he tendered his resignation as a result of it.
@Paul Ennis: Those Cork lads can be awful difficult ;)
@Thesaltyurchin: Ha! It is difficult enough coping with the provincial shithousery without bringing in some inter-county-provincial shithousery to the conversation!!
@JoeVlogs: Mossy Lawlor’s appointment had nothing to do with Casey. You might want to think before you type.
Wow. Was not expecting that. Rough start to the season for Munster, but as we’ve seen before, they’ve managed to pull it together later on in the season. Would love to know the real reasons this has happened.
@Peter Slattery: .me too why don’t they explain what happened
Can’t believe they’ve sacked him. They’ve been a mess all season but it seems like a panic move. Some of those Munster players should be ashamed of themselves, they let him down again and again. Top of the list is O’Mahony, who threw his toys out of the pram and handed back the captaincy when he didn’t get the contract he wanted. Relations have not been good between head coach and O’Mahony for quite some time, that is very clear. I wish Wig well, seems a really decent guy even if he made some terrible blunders also. Munster Rugby is in absolute turmoil at the moment, and it shows no signs of improving any time soon. Pat Lam should get the job.
@Aidan Farrell: it’s not often I agree with you
@Michael Corkery: not about Pat Lam though. No way he should get job. Maybe Felix Jones
@Michael Corkery: thanks Michael.
@Aidan Farrell: Pat Lam is earning more than any coach in Irish rugby!!Farrell included…
@Aidan Farrell: it’s states mutual decision but that doesn’t stop a Leinster troll from getting in a dig. If Munster sacked him, they would need IRFU approval. You have no idea what happened with POM.
@Michael Corkery: Any chance we could tempt you to offer the job to Robyn McBride. He is a great singer… not very pushy… looks so cool in a hat… and I believe he makes a mean curry!! Ok… I will throw in 4 tickets to NZ!! Please?
@Aidan Farrell: agree with everything except the last line. Why would Lam take a poison chalice? Rowntree was a well-respected coach, who was let down by his players and unceremoniously kicked out. Not the first time it happened either – Penney was accused by POC of trying to get Munster to play “a non-Munster way” (i.e., passing as opposed to looking for contact), and was effectively kicked out by the suits who wanted their friend Axel to take the job, who in turn was kicked in the back by Munster’s appointment of Rassie as Director. Lam also made it very clear that part of the reason he left was his difficulties with the IRFU, not with Connacht. Why would he leave one of the best paid positions in rugby, to work with a limited squad and a union that scuppered his work at Connacht?
@John Buckley: if you believe this decision is mutual then I’ve some magic beans I’d like to sell you. Rowntree was talking after the weekend about improving, he didn’t see this sacking coming either. Cop on, you are the most nasty, poisonous poster on here with personal insults about anyone you disagree with.
@JoeVlogs: In fairness, Munster’s attack looked rudderless under Penny and POC was right in that forcing them to be an offloading team for the sake of it in a short period of time when that wasn’t a big part of their skillset or tradition was probably why Penny’s approach yielded nothing but lateral movement.
@Aidan Farrell: you have the inside track as usual, must have contacts all over the sporting world. Clown.
Very sad news. Apart from the loss of a good guy, it seems to indicate the problems at Munster are even worse than it appeared. But we’ll also have a lot of uninformed speculation. A bad day for Irish rugby
Wow, that is a surprise. I definitely was not expecting that as he was making progress, slowly but surely. Munster have many injuries and so very difficult at the moment.
If this could be reversed, it would be great for Munster rugby as the guy has a huge heart for Munster.
Can’t see logic to this move…, the problem at Munster seems to be much much deeper… This looks more like scapegoating to buy time for what I don’t know… Unless there was an unhappiness in the camp with Rowntree and the greater squad and coaching set up, this move seems pointless.
I believe Munster need alot more than a new coach…. A decent Front row would be a start.
@Den: I think you’re likely right. They cannot say it was based on results when they offered Van Graan extensions
@Ciaran Kennedy: Logically you’re right but maybe expectations have risen as a result of being URC champions in his first year and having a home QF and SF in his second. Whatever the reasons I would rather have seen him complete the season. If the players had stopped working for/believing in him then it’s time for them to SUAF in earnest, cutting out some of the basic errors we’ve seen over the last few weeks.
Very strange decision unless they have a big name ready to come in. When one considers the free pass that Leo Cullen has had Leinster for years, this decision is even more bizarre.
@The Firestarter: as a munster fan. Hard to say a big name would want it. The have litter money and squad is lacking quality and numbers. I hope I’m wrong.
@The Firestarter: anyway, enough about all of that. Let’s discuss how this is all Leo Cullen and Leinster’s fault….
@The Firestarter: During his first few seasons Leo struggled badly, very badly, even though Leinster got to the URC final against Connacht. The season after they lost to Scarlets in the semi-final of the URC. Leinster didn’t make it beyond the semi-finals of the European Cup either. Sorry, Leo that’s my opinion!
Leo didn’t have a free pass as he was subsequently accompanied by Stuart Lancaster and now Jacques Nienaber.
@Con Cussed: I think Cullen probably gets some leeway given how many Irish internationals have been ushered through in his time .. Munster/Rowntree don’t have that to fall back on.
@The Firestarter: rowntree won more in past 3 years than leo.
@Niall English: I think this is a very important message that GR has been more successful than Leo with regards to the URC.
@The Firestarter: Leinster have been consistently good under Cullen. lost 3 finals by narrow margins. that’s sport but there has never been a sudden drop in standards
Felix Jones for the Munster job ?
@Noel Roe: still contracted by the RFU
@Noel Roe: Like it. Could move Prendie up for the rest of the season. Get RoG back next year ;)
@aidan prior: Put a caretaker in charge until the end of the season. I am not sure that Felix is ready for a top job. We still don’t know the real detail as to why he left England. He will need a spine made of iron to take on the Munster gig.
@Noel Roe: Temper your expectations. Even disregarding the RFU gardening leave, not sure Munster could afford him.
@Peter Slattery: not sure hed want it,leinster might come calling
@Paul Ennis: I’d imagine Costello will most likely be the coach until the end of the season, with maybe an eye on giving him a the top job permanently if he acquits himself well, much like with Murphy at Ulster. You’d imagine, both financially (buying a head coach out of contract) and also structurally (given a new coach will not really get a say in the coaching ticket in the middle of a season), not too many high profile coaches will be interested in it. Maybe some assistant coaches could be? Nigel Carolan is responsible for the most successful attack in the URC, and hasn’t hidden his ambition at being number 1 down the line. Could see him taking on the Connacht job post Wilkins, but he might be swayed by an opportunity at Munster.
@JoeVlogs: There will be lots of good coaches interested in the Munster job. Maybe someone unkown from the SH or maybe a Jonno Gibbs / Jamie Joseph / Jake White type character. Someone with a track record but didn’t quite work out for them recently. But you are right, Munster do not need to rush into a decision before Christmas. They do, however, need to ensure qualification for Champions Cup next season. That has to be the priority at all costs.
Gentleman, and leaves with all the best wishes from Munster fans! He had no chance this season with injuries and Snyman & Frishe moving on..
No Leamy or Prendergast in the coaches box at last game was an ominous sign.
Won the URC 2 season ago, topped the table last season. There seems little doubt he left due to being extremely frustrated and fed up. He can’t even get a medical joker prop in, never mind the systematic downgrading of the squad in recent times. It’s mission impossible to compete under the conditions he has been asked to work within. Therefore he has had no option but to go, he may even have issued an ultimatum. I’m not surprised at all, set up to fail and he can see that.
@Nathan Fulham: I agree with you Nathan. I’d say he was fairly frustrated at the end.
The team he won the URC with wad immediately dismantled through no fault of his.
@Nathan Fulham: How does he not take responsibility for downgrading of his squad? They are subject to the same rules as anyone else.
@Nathan Fulham: If you are correct and you might be, then it doesn’t matter who our head coach is if nothing changes with the IRFU. The Munster executive should have stood up and backed GR against the IRFU and enlisted support from Connaught and Ulster to change things. It seems to me that the problem might be more local. Flanagan wished GR well “on behalf of Munster Rugby”. GR thanked the players, coaches and the wider family but not the executive for their support.It is not clear GR had the support of Munster executive.
@cge1957: correct, the executive may not wish to rock the boat. Are they paid by the IRFU? Didn’t the CEO recently apply for another job? Maybe they feel hamstrung but are unable or unwilling to do anything about it.
More Munster Madness
This Is Sad news , he tuned us around from the nightmare of the Van grann
Era and to have won the league and changed the style of rugby and given youth so much opportunity!
He will be missed and he will be remembered for being a honest man and a good man , and a excellent coach
@damien reidy: for all the hate that Van Graan gets, he had a better win percentage than Rowntree. That said, I felt Rowntree showed a lot more love for the province than did VG, and brought silverware back to the club.
@JoeVlogs: yes i agree with the win rate but the rugby on show was awful and as you put it lack of love was the main thing that really hot underneath the skin of alot of folk … we were looking for our Pat lam and Van gran was not the right man for that role
@damien reidy: All of the youth your celebrating got their opportunity under Van Grann, including Ahern, Hodnett, both the Wincherly’s, Liam and Gavin Coombes, Pa Campbell, Alex Kindellen, Ben Healy and Nash. JvG was a progressive selector but choose a conservative style of rugby. I think in part because he faced the same challenges as Rowntree. i.e Not enough power up front, and too little pace behind.
ROG to make a return to Ireland??!! Agree with other comments on here. There’s got to be something underlying that is not completely obvious. Also the phrase “mutual consent” is significant.
@peter lynch: ROG would have to take a huge pay cut id say to take Munster. That’s if he wanted to leave La Rochelle
@Diarmuid: I’m just having a bit of
@peter lynch: give it a couple of weeks and what actually happened will come out. This could all be triggered by GR as far as we know.
First the rugby museum shuts down, and now this. Terrible week for Munster Rugby. No end to the misery.
@Aidan Farrell: At least the start of the season has been a bath of negativity for you to sit in… silver linnings I suppose
Wouldn’t blame him for walking. Trying to coach in Ireland is like try to box with one hand tied behind your back. The usual IRFU bollocksology
@5sZl1dX2: How did he have a hand tied behind his back?
@5sZl1dX2: again pass the blame
I do not think this is a good move. He has had a squad blighted by injury and retirement plus the most difficult fixture list of all for the start of this season. Only the Zebre result can be marked down as unacceptable. If it is his decision, then fair enough, but Munster should have tried to keep him on until the end of the season at least.
@Paul Ennis: mid season departure always a nightmare, we’re well used to it by now tho! lol.
@Paul Ennis: would be a crazy call if munster have sacked him over results, and if that were the case the people who made that decision should be sacked.
Feels like there is a lot more to this story that we haven’t heard yet.
@Thesaltyurchin: Yeah… more Ulster who have had to deal with it in recent times. I don’t think Munster ever sacked a coach mid season before!!
@Patrick O’Sullivan: If it is not a results based decision, why now! It seems to me that something has gone seriously wrong over the tour to SA and I think this could be an impetuous decision based on a relationship that has gone toxic in a short period of time (possibly with the CEO). If that’s the case, the board have questions to answer.
@Paul Ennis: Was GR sacked? Also was sure VG announced his departure mid season. My bad.
@Thesaltyurchin: VG definitely announced it mid season but stayed on until the end. Pretty sure Rassie is the only other Munster coach to leave mid season.
@Patrick O’Sullivan: So do I but we will have to wait and see
@Paul Ennis: has to be something off the pitch. Loosing games will put alot of strain on relationships, possibly something has been said where neither side will back down, hard to see as GR comes across as a very nice fella.
For all we know GR may have quit because of personal reasons
@mary sheehan: exactly, its a waiting game
@Paul Ennis: regardless, the drama is always top tier!!… just not the rugby rn… some hard games to comes aswell! Lions, Ulster away, Leinster again ffs!
Given his success in the URC I refuse to believe he was pushed because that would be the height of shooting yourself in the foot. There must be personal reasons that forced his hand and, if so, hopefully people will be respectful of it.
@PJ Smith: At least he hasn’t tried to blame Munster by saying it is a toxic working environment. He seems to be a very honourable man! I wasn’t the biggest fan of his original appointment, but he proved me wrong when he won the URC.
@Paul Ennis: I wonder could it be a health or family issue. Not that I’d like to speculate about such things really and hope it’s definitely not but the other reasons don’t seem to sit right. How could things have gotten so bad so quickly, how could any senior players have the pull to get rid of him (given the name mentioned hasn’t got long left in the jersey and others are essentially still kids), how could assistant coaches get him sacked and not vice versa, results aren’t much worse than previous years at this stage, the prop issue probably hurts but surely not worth throwing in the towel over. What could possibly be significant enough to push him out mid season like this?
@PJ Smith: I don’t the players had anything to do with this. Maybe he decided he had enough… but the question is why? What relationship fell apart for him to result in a dramatic decision. Leamy and Prendergast or was it Ian Flanagan. Surely operational or tactical disagreements can happen and be resolved!! The more I think about it the more I think that GR will regret this as will the Munster board!
@Paul Ennis: If he walked then I think he absolutely will regret it, unless it was gross misconduct against him in some manner it will have a negative impact on his reputation. If he was pushed then, again unless he was guilty of some form of gross misconduct at this stage, Munster will massively regret it as it’s setting them back a couple of years minimum. No winners really
This is a crazy reaction Roundtree would have turned it around but maybe he’s better away from this lunacy when not only is he a top coach but probably also the best prop at Munster.
It’s Munster not man utd. You can’t make a good team out of them. Some poor players,no money ,so who funds the next coach ? Or will it be one of the “lads”
Whatever is going on here it seems fairly ugly.
It is very disappointing to see Rowntree leave and he will be snapped up very quickly by someone else. Best of luck to him.
Not a hope that O’Gara will take it. He is contracted to La Rochelle until 2027 and no chance Munster/ IRFU will buy him out of this contract there.
Felix Jones is the obvious one who springs to mind whenever his gardening leave expires. Whether he’d want the job is another story again.
Ian Costello will be a good and competent interim head coach.
Absolutely ridiculous decision to let him go. We had to endure the horrendous full tenures of McGahan, Penny and Van Graan, but we sack the one coach who has won anything in years? Pure stupidity. Wouldn’t surprise me if Leinster snapped him up as their next forwards coach.
@mcdb06: Exactly. Munster have been very unlucky with the quick succession of injuries so far this season. Awful timing considering that the Autumn Internationals are coming up soon.
@Deirdre Browne: OR great timing if you consider they will be fine to play in red.
@mcdb06: i agree but with the exception of Penny.
@Thesaltyurchin:
Ian Costello will be a great interim manager, if not a good full time replacement. He did well the last time he was in charge of Munster, granted it was a short spell.
@Con Cussed: Has been excellent in his academy role and as head of Operations. Would support that.
@Con Cussed: Of course he will ….. Cork (Con) boys get their way! Next you will see the Munster Academy based in Cork.
Nothing will put Munster right until the Limerick / Cork divide is settled. Lenihan will get his way yet!!!!!
I don’t know how, but it’s defo Leinster’s fault.
Surely a opportunity for jonny sexton to get into head coaching
@Liam Collins: haha, stranger things have happened. No hope of him going to Munster though.
@Liam Collins: It could be the perfect job, but he has a full time gig with Ardagh… I would say his salary there is more than any of the provinces could afford!
Thought he was doing the best he could considering Munster S&C team are absolute muck and likely the reason why Munster never have a full strength team. Are Munster the new basket case of Irish rugby?
@J M: They have to earn that title. We did. SUFUM
@J M: collision injuries are nothing to do with SandC
@Niall English: Very true but considering the other 3 provinces haven’t had the same injury crises you’ve got to ask why are munster lads so prone to it
@J M: Basket case is a term thrown around too carelessly. There were a few things wrong at Ulster and now they are getting sorted. BOD used that term for dramatic effect. Today is a bad day, but Munster will iron this out!
Graham is a decent, intelligent and dedicated coach. He is an honourable individual. To me he has not been supported by the Munster Branch and the Munster Branch have not been supported by IRFU [E.G. Prop signing not sanctioned] . We are not at the top table anymore, we are well behind the best in Europe. We neither have the money nor the homegrown players to compete at elite level. It is a long road ahead and not an easy one.
@Brendan McAteer: It’s getting ridiculous how the IRFU are the scapegoat for all things Munster despite clear preferential treatment over the years. Give us another example would you if how the IRFU don’t support Munster
@PJ Smith: Forced us to choose between RG and Kleyn, allowed him to go to Leinster who already have plenty of talent.
@TL55: Forced because of the same rules everyone else is subject to. So what you wanted was preferential treatment meaning that’s not a relevant example. Letting him go to Leinster is also not a relevant example as he replaced a departing NIQ player and so worked within the rules. You want the IRFU to say no to Leinster in the grounds it will make you better? Please, try again.
Won URC, then topped table last season, this season only thr Zebre game has been a shock result. H-Cup performances havent been great, but arent a reason to release him or hed have been gone over the summer. I cant be performances, which means its either a falling out with Squad/coaches left his position untenable? falling out with IRFU? Or been offered a better position with immediate start in England/France/Japan. Don’t think its been Squad coaches as things have been going well enough, IRFU after losing Frish and Synman and not allowed/afford NIQs could be it. For other jobs open atm in Engalnd think only Tigers would see him leave Munster for, but Cheika isnt leaving there, so France or Japan?
@Kingshu: It is all very strange. There are some saying his relationship with POM fell apart due to the contractvsituation but surely that was the IRFU or Munster board that were at fault there. More likely that he has had a falling out with someone on the board at Munster? Or with his own coaching team? Eagle eyed Salty spotted a few coaches missing on Saturday. That’s not a good look either.
Very sorry to see him go. Very strange decision. Wishing him the very best for the future.
Unexpected, to say the least.
Anyone have any inside knowledge?
Maybe the new Man United. Some coaches ( Leamy and Kyriacou) should be in the firing line before Rowntree. Problems very, very deep.
As a munster fan, disappointed to see Rowntree go. I thought the management team was tightly knitted together, and with the addition of Abrahams, had addressed the lack of pace in the 3/4 quarter line.
Ultimately, you won’t win with small props and slow backs. Munster URC victory was a triump against that logic, but you cant keep pulling wins out of the hat.
It’s the anonymous CEO and board that should be gone. A coach can only work with the players he is given and in Rowntrees case there are too many players below the required standard and no quality players being signed. Munster are living in the past, the game has moved on and all the top teams have squads consisting of almost all International players, Leinster for example. Munster are a mid table team and as has happened over the past five years we cannot go beyond the quarter finals in the European Cup and now that the Safas are taking the URC seriously we won’t be successful there either. I wish Graham Rowntree well.
@Peter O’Dowd: Won it two years ago and top of the table last year, not saying your version of the ‘truth’ isn’t accurate but… no. I am saying that :)
he wasnt sacked. he resigned.
@Niall English: In fairness we don’t know which of the two it really is
The writing was on the wall first game of the season. Shipping 33 points at home to Connacht. Lucky to win it in the end. Hasn’t been much better since. Their no world beaters but should be better than they have been. Clearly something not right.
Surely Ian Dowling has to be under pressure. Under his leadership we’ve been decimated of leaders and arguably our best players with no replacement plan.
@Kenneth O’Connor: Sorry Ian Dowling was a legend even if he was from Kilkenny :-) Ian Flanagan is the CEO
Heard elsewhere from a good source (had the inside on Felix Jones’s departure from RFU), apparently he fell out with the IRFU and Humphreys. He shared some “home truths” about the setup at provincial level. They then dictated that he had to go.
@John Lyons: I literally do not know what to say to this!!
@John Lyons: Wouldn’t be a surprise, especially if it related to the ludicrous prop situation. Somebody needed to call it out.
This just doesn’t make any sense, unless he went to the board and said I don’t think I’m the man for the job, he shouldn’t have got the boot, I would support costello becoming part of coaching team but we need to sort our stuff out or we’ll be in even more trouble, could coombes have had something to do with it? Not picked 2 weeks in a row unexplained,?
Unfortunately Munster has become a bit of a poison chalice for now and needs to stop with the “old boys network” and get in a coach and assistants that have no connections to Munster and thus can do a proper professional job to get all the wheels back on the wagon again. Rowntree was getting there but imo bringing in former players as coaches ruined his plans. What is needed is a troubleshooter who will be allowed to sweep the board clean.
@richard gibbons: prendergast has been good for them. Don’t think we can question that. Leamy and Kyriacou… question marks. With that being said, I think part of the reason they were for those coaches was because they had a connection with and understood the province. That seemed to be missing under JVG.
Rumour has it ,hes heading to Man UTD .
Just a rumour at the moment though
I’m sorry to see Rowntree go. I don’t think many other coaches would have been brave enough to move away from our traditional game and play a more expansive attacking game. However injuries and a major lack of quality and depth played a big part in the wheels coming off at different stages over the last 3 seasons. Perhaps his loyalty to coaches like Andy or Leamy showed that he lacked the ruthlessness needed at munster and should have made changes like the connacht coach did by demoting their defence coach from last year due to substandard performance
It is not Rowntrees fault . It is the IRFU that closet him his job . All the money as usual goes to Leinster
The Leinster D4 brigade only delighted with this news. Wouldn’t be surprised if Leinster make a move and take another one from us
@Jim Dumps: Except… not a single Leinster supporter in this comment section is happy with the news. But son’t let the truth get in the way of your toxic whinge.
@Jim Dumps: As a member of the Leinster D3 brigade I cannot speak for the southsiders but i am immensely disappointed by Wig’s departure. Munster’s journey to URC champions is one of the most entertaining sport seasons Ive ever seen. I would much prefer he was staying and given the support/cash to make Munster a big deal in europe again
@Paul Ennis: Pretty sure this is just a troll account or at best a parody account of good old Jim Demps.
@Jim Dumps: There is only 1 player from Munster that would make the Leinster side and ironically enough he’s your captain and Leinster born and bred. On another topic Felix Jones’s was let go 7 years ago from Munster and has two World Cup gold coaching medals in his pocket. Not sure he would have the love to go back to that coaching and management disaster.
They let Flannery go as well and he has Premiership medal and a great new job with the world champions. You would be better off sacking all the suits down there that made those two rubbish decisions
@PJ Smith: Maybe… Jim was always a little more suttle though. So a poor attempt really. I won’t be giving him/her the honour of a mute yet.
Rowntree was not the problem…the quality of players Munster had developed was the issue. This reflects extremely poorly on Munster Rugby
Very sad to see him go. Something is rotten in the background…
@Mistral: Been there for years too, we never seem to have cut it out. Must be board, would love to hear an honest take from Wood, few of his lads looking like players tho.
Very unfortunate for him to be leaving. Munster had a tough opening 6 game block and i think we all expected them to make up ground and get to the playoffs. I strongly suspect something on the personal side came up and he had to leave
@Owen ODonoghue: Lions, Ulster and Leinster to come! * ~ *
Not so sure money was the issue, especially considering funding for NIQs Munster have received in the past. This form really doesn’t seem like his fault, not entirely at least. Munster haven’t pulled their weight in underage production despite strong playing numbers and this injury crisis crossed the threshold of bad luck to systemic a while ago. On development, ESRI had a very interesting paper a few years ago – Munster’s club system is normally the point of entry for players rather than schools as it is Leinster. Munster have players in the system for longer and would arguably face less local competition than Leinster clubs and schools would (excluding D4) from GAA. Maybe this is a point for another thread but to summarise along winded post, think Rowntree has got the short end of a crisis-stricken stick. Good luck to him in the future.
I’m surprised with this move bad start to the season yes but they could have made up time. Most have been something on behind the scenes
Big shock that, Felix Jones incoming now surely for next season. Think he will be brilliant ..ROG won’t want this , he wants an international gig…
@Stuart: First match back… See you then Stu!
@Stuart: Not true Rog will want to manage munster first
What a joke. Something isn’t right here. Can we please get some transparency here?
Problems started last season when he didn’t have the minerals to drop POM when he complained he was being taken off at 40mins which had been working well all season bringing them to the top of the league table. But then all of a sudden he makes him play the full 80 against Glasglow knowing how Fagerson was dominating POM and primarily lost because of this. In this moment he lost the respect of the players. Sorry but even as a fan I lost respect for him because he didn’t have Munster rugby in mind but the situation with POM. Beirne has been saving him since but Beirne can’t do it alone.
a weird decision
Munster are hardly moving this quick – just for Ten Hag are they!
@EAMONN ROONEY: and Graham to United !
@Tony Brennan: he would do a better job at United than Eric
@EAMONN ROONEY: They should go all out to get Ted Lasso
Who are the favorites to take over? Felix Jones, POC? Maybe its time for ROG to come home?
@Owen ODonoghue: why would PO, ROG or Jones take over that job? Rog and poc are already in superior positions and Jones left England cos it was a sh/tshow…he hardly wants to go into an even bigger one. Being from Munster just isn’t enough of a reason anymore
Everyone was moaning about him now i see the same people upset you just cant win
Decent rugby man for sure. A better specialist than a generalist which is what is needed to be a good head coach. It looks like factions emerged – Coombes dropped and other coaches missing suggests discord. This Disharmony most likely triggered the mutual decision. Both parties reached a terminus. In my opinion he had a mixed tenure – could never understand team selection v Glasgow last year. How could you possibly leave Synman on the bench – it cost Munster progress to final and in my book was indefensible. These are major decisions in pivotal times – such opportunities dont come around every year. As a result, I have since questioned his management savy on an ongoing basis. On balance the right call all round .
Very sad to hear the news GR is an honourable man who brought a trophy to Munster only 2 seasons ago after a 12 year gap. I could state many reasons for the decline in fortunes but everyone knows these already.
actually I will go back on my previous comment, it was the correct decision
I guess the Monday review didn’t go that well then…….