Irish rugby ground to a halt last week, when Graham Rowntree departed Munster Rugby mere days before his side took on an All Blacks XV in Thomond Park.
While Munster had enjoyed a slow start to the season, Rowntree was the province's most successful coach in over a decade, leading them to a URC title in his opening season and finishing top of the league table last year.
After Rowntree's five years in Limerick came to an end, it wasn't long before the host of Munster legends coaching elsewhere in Europe were having their names thrown in the hat to take over.
Ronan O'Gara and Felix Jones were undoubtedly the fan favourites, but the likes of Paul O'Connell was also associated with the vacant role.
Despite the rumour mill, reports suggested that Munster would try to fill the role internally, with current attack coach Mike Prendergast their preferred candidate.
22 June 2010; Ireland's Donncha O'Callaghan and head coach Declan Kidney during squad training ahead of their game against Australia on Saturday 26 June. Ireland Rugby Squad Training, Anglican Grammar School, Brisbane, Australia. Picture credit: Tony Phillips / SPORTSFILE
Donncha O'Callaghan makes bold suggestion to replace Graham Rowntree
However, despite those reports, speaking on his new podcast with Tommy Bowe The Offload, Donncha O'Callaghan revealed he'd like to see Declan Kidney reinserted into the role.
The former Munster and Ireland head coach was the last man to win a Heineken Cup with Munster, having achieved the feat in both 2006 and 2008. Kidney would eventually leave Munster for the Ireland job where he famously led the country to its first Grand Slam in sixty years.
Speaking on The Offload, O'Callaghan lent on Kidney's experience as the 'foundation rock' of Munster Rugby...
I actually have a different take on it; I think if you’re trying to get a beat out of this team, you actually have to go down to the foundation rock of Munster rugby, and you need Declan Kidney back involved.
I know you’re gonna laugh, but I’m telling you he’s a Grand Slam, a European Cup winner, and nobody knows Munster Rugby better than that man.
It’s sad to say that we might have to go all the way back there. But I promise you, if you put him in that environment he will get the best out of those players. His emotional intelligence is through the roof, his love for Munster Rugby is through the roof.
While O'Callaghan was leaning on his own experiences with Kidney, he was also adamant that if there was any potential tension between Munster Rugby and the IRFU Kindey was the man to deal with it.
And there’s a guy, if he’s getting f***** over by the IRFU, will kick down the door and tell them.
The way it’s going, look at where rugby who are gone, London, Irish, he knows how to deal with a budget, he knows how to deal with players.
In those moments I just think there’s an ace up our sleeves, it’s under our nose. We all might laugh and think of the glory days, but I’m telling you it, I’ve been around him.
In fairness to O'Callaghan, Declan Kidney did preside over some of Munster Rugby's greatest days, leading them to two Heineken Cups and a league title in the 2000s.
Kidney most recently added to his CV during his tenure of London Irish between 2018 and 2023 where he won the RFU Championship and gained promotion back into the top tier of English Rugby.
He and Donncha O'Callaghan both spent time together in Munster Rugby and Ireland between 2005 and 2013 where they achieved unprecedented success together.
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