Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

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

By Liam Heagney
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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

Video Spacer

Boks Office on Madiba’s influence at matches | RPTV

In this week’s Boks Office the guys discuss Nelson Mandela’s influence over the Springboks. Watch the full episode on RugbyPass TV on Tuesday afternoon.

Watch Now

Video Spacer

Boks Office on Madiba’s influence at matches | RPTV

In this week’s Boks Office the guys discuss Nelson Mandela’s influence over the Springboks. Watch the full episode on RugbyPass TV on Tuesday afternoon.

Watch Now

“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.”

Related

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

1 Comment
E
Ed the Duck 24 days ago

So that is ending in tears…nailed on!

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

LONG READ
LONG READ Rory Underwood's other-worldly England record may never be broken Rory Underwood's other-worldly England record may never be broken
Search