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Paul O'Connell has had his say on the Munster head coach vacancy

Ireland forwards coach Paul O'Connell at training in Dublin this month (Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Ireland forwards coach Paul O’Connell has ended speculation that he could be a contender to become the head coach at Munster following last month’s dismissal of Graham Rowntree.

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The 2023 URC title-winning boss left the role following a difficult start of the 2024/25 season in which the Irish province won just two of its opening six league matches.

Munster had just arrived back from losing both matches on their South African tour when the decision was reached to part company with Rowntree, who had stepped up from an assistant’s role in the summer of 2022 after Johann van Graan exited to take over at Bath.

The legendary O’Connell, who skippered Munster to their second European Cup title in 2008, has long been touted for a coaching return at the club but that homecoming won’t be happening any time soon as he has ruled himself out from filling the Rowntree vacancy.

Speaking to reporters in Dublin this week ahead of Ireland’s final Autumn Nations Series fixture versus Australia, he said: “No, I have no interest in it. Certainly in the short term, anyway. I just hope they get the right man.”

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins
3
Draws
0
Wins
2
Average Points scored
25
14
First try wins
80%
Home team wins
80%

Confirmation that O’Connell isn’t a runner for the position emerged after Munster had confirmed two-year contract extensions for assistant coaches Mike Prendergast and Denis Leamy. Ian Costello remains their interim boss with the URC set to resume this weekend with Munster in action on Saturday against the Lions in Limerick.

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1 Comment
B
Bull Shark 13 days ago

Felix Jones?


Seems the length of of this vacancy is correlating with the length of his notice period/garden leave/indentured labour.

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Nickers 14 minutes ago
'Razor's conservatism is in danger of halting New Zealand's progress'

Razor seems totally at sea to me.


He squandered his first year when he could have been bringing in loads of new players at the expense of results. Instead he chased the win from week to week, ironically using the same players that have been underperforming and NOT winning for years to put in mediocre performances.


The new generation of players is here right now but Razor is clearly not ready for them. Lakai, Love, Proctor, Plummer etc... could all have 5 or so games under their belt. Instead they get 2 minutes at the end of the game to win a "cap" like this is still the 80s.


He had a license to be bold this year - an obligation after 4 years of conservatism under Fozzie. But in reality it wasn't until inuries forced his hand that any progress was made this season.


Worryingly, much like Fozzie, he seems unable to diagnose and fix what is not working on attack. He desperately needs some better assistants around him.


The comparison to SA is not really a fair one. Rassie is probably under the least pressure of anyone in all of World Rugby this year coming off back to back World Cups win. It's like the ABs in 2016 - everyone thought they would have a post world cup slump but it was the exact opposite. With no pressure and no fear they payed some of the most incredible rugby that has ever been played by the All Blacks, every new player was an instant super star and it seemed like nothing could go wrong. Much the same way 2017 hit the ABs like a ton of bricks I'm sure SA will endure something similar in 2025.

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