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Graham Rowntree insists no fallout with Peter O'Mahony – report

Munster head coach Graham Rowntree, left, with Peter O’Mahony (Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Munster boss Graham Rowntree has insisted he hasn’t fallen out with Peter O’Mahony, the veteran back-rower who has relinquished the captaincy of the Irish province after 11 seasons. It was last November when it was confirmed that O’Mahony, who first captained Munster in a competitive game on September 3, 2011, at the age of 21 in just his 12th appearance for the province, would give up skippering the team at the end of the 2023/24 season.

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Despite going on to lead Ireland to the Guinness Six Nations title in March, it wasn’t until April 11 when Munster confirmed they had agreed a one-year deal for O’Mahony, who was coming off an IRFU contract, to stay on at the club. Ahead of the new season, which kicks off this Saturday with a home URC fixture versus Connacht, Rowntree has now addressed the speculation that he and the recently turned 35-year-old O’Mahony had a falling out.

Speaking with Irish media at a briefing where Tadhg Beirne was confirmed as the new Munster captain, Rowntree said about the past season: “I’m more experienced, yeah. I have been through some things that I hadn’t, with the injury crisis, players retiring, players coming off national contracts, their negotiations. What was the word used, innuendos? Innuendos around Peter O’Mahony? It’s not easy.

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    “And by the way, on that, we didn’t fall out. I didn’t raise my voice once. I raise my voice a lot in various contexts but I have never raised my voice in any contract negotiations. It just took a long time. It’s complicated, that scenario was complicated, but we got to a greater agreement.”

    As for his decision to finally back Beirne to take on the captaincy on a permanent basis, Rowntree added: “I took my time. He did a great job last year, he managed us through most of the season as captain. He is world-class, world-class. If he’s fit, I will be picking him. That is a big one for a captain, he has got to be up there with one of your best players.

    Fixture
    United Rugby Championship
    Munster
    35 - 33
    Full-time
    Connacht
    All Stats and Data

    “He has got an aura about him, the way plays the game. He is good for the group, he is a giver as well. He likes pulling along the group standard-wise. He is easy-going, a laid-back dude as well, he does it his own way. As in most clubs and most pro sports, most businesses, you have got a strong leadership group. It won’t be Tadhg doing all the talking.”

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    E
    Ed the Duck 199 days ago

    So that is ending in tears…nailed on!

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    ChristelLoewe 45 minutes ago
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    ChristelLoewe 1 hour ago
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    JW 8 hours ago
    Why NZR's Ineos settlement may be the most important victory they'll enjoy this year

    It really all depends of how much overseas players would be paid (by NZR) to play for the All Blacks. I’ve not heard a peep on this front from any author suggesting it’s a good idea.


    If it’s nothing (a player gets his weekly paycheck from the club and thats it (which we know is definitely not the case in Ireland and France, or SA even I think?), then maybe it would retain more SR level players given that they’ll be getting the “AB” component (which is about where things stand, Burke for instance would have had to had his Sader contract upgraded to an AB one (think above Pero levels) to be on similar money.


    I’d having to imagine if a player is getting paid to do nothing over the international windows though, they are going to want to get paid extra for appear for the ABs, so in this situation, it’s hard to see many players being retained, yes.


    I’m pretty sure they flew to Japan and met in person.


    I’ve heard/had these discussions numerous times. I don’t think theres anyway to judge the interest that would be retain in SR. For one, it might be a more entertaining league as a result, as the JRLO is compared to Europe, despite it obviously being a lesser standard.


    If SRP is of a lesser standard and now able to use Japanese and American players to bolster teams, perhaps those markets more than make up for the downturn in NZ and Aus? Perhaps it gives NZR flexibility to create a more fit for purpose interdomestic competition, and interest actually increases? All you might need is a proper pathway from school to pro?


    Razor asked NZR to keep an open mind. Did NZR answer any of these questions to themself?

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