It has been over three months since the shock news emerged that Graham Rowntree had departed his role as Munster head coach mid-season but the club remains without a permanent successor.
Ian Costello - who has no desire to take the role permanently - is currently managing the side on an interim basis, while both Mike Prendergast and Denis Leamy have penned new deals to keep them coaching in the province.
Ireland women's forwards coach Alex Codling has also been seconded to the province where he'll work above Sean Cronin.
Chris Boyd, who had played a key role in Northampton Saints ascent to the top of the Premiership, had been brought in on a short-term basis as a performance consultant - but is due to return to New Zealand.
Names like Felix Jones and Stuart Lancaster had been linked with the vacancy, while attack coach Prendergast has openly expressed his interest in taking the top job.
8 October 2024; Attack coach Mike Prendergast during Munster rugby squad training at University of Limerick in Limerick. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Prendergast, who built a strong reputuation at Racing 92 before returning to help Rowntree guide Munster to the 2023 URC title, is one of the most likely men for the job.
Munster have previous in making such a move, having promoted then-assistant Rowntree to the top job after Johann van Graan and the rest of his ticket departed.
Eddie O'Sullivan accuses Munster of 'mucking around'
The province is intent on taking its time with anointing a new head coach, despite Munster CEO Ian Flanagan recently saying that Prendergast is 'a very strong candidate' for the role.
Former Ireland boss Eddie O'Sullivan has accused the club of 'mucking around' in the search for a successor, especially if they are to eventually give Prendergast the role.
"The one thing you don’t want in these situations is for it to turn into a sort of soap opera, and we’re getting into that realm now,” he explained on RTÉ.
Is Mikey Prendergast going to be the next coach? He’s put up his hand. Why are they holding back announcing him? If he’s up they should tell him rather than let it run on for month after month.
He continued: “It’s not a good thing for a rugby team to have this indecision going on around the organisation, the longer it goes on the messier it could get and it won’t help the changing room.
"If I was in Mike Prendergast’s position I’d want to know if I was going to get it or not going to get it,” he added.
“The longer it goes on that he’s not getting it and they’re looking around, it would indicate that he’s not going to get it – and then if they do give it to him at the end, some can say why didn’t you give it to him at the outset
"This indecision that is floating around doesn’t help Mikey Prendergast or the team.”
Munster had a very challenging start to the season but have found some strong results as of late, beating the Dragons handily on Saturday.
They were impressive in defeat to Northampton Saints, a week after winning a slog against Saracens in Thomond Park.
There is still silverware on the agenda despite a mixed campaign but O'Sullivan still sees sloppiness in the Munster game, and wonders what the benefit is in allowing things to persist as they are for the next few months.
'Tonight’s performance doesn’t help anything either. The second half was sloppy so it’s getting to the point now where do we go through this for another two or three months before we find out what’s happening? It’s a long time to be mucking around.”
Munster have won five and lost five of their 10 URC fixtures this season and have the tough task of traveling to face two-time Champions Cup winners La Rochelle in Europe.
That fixture will mark the first competitive reunion between Ronan O'Gara and his former side this April.
