In an unexpected announcement this afternoon, Munster Rugby have revealed that Jerry Flannery and Felix Jones will depart the province at the end of the season after both coaches "declined their respective contract offers."
The news comes off the back of disappointing displays against Saracens and Benetton in the Champions Cup and Pro14 respectively.
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In a statement released on the province's website, Jerry Flannery, the province's Forwards Coach, didn't delve into reasons for his decision.
This has been a dream job for me, to coach Munster Rugby. I want to thank all the players, coaches and staff that I worked with over the years, and also thank the supporters who have always been there for us.
Leaving the province is not a decision I took lightly, but I look forward to watching the squad go from strength to strength, and wish them continued success.
Likewise, Jones, the province's Backline and Attack Coach, reaffirmed his commitment to the team until the end of the season without revealing the reason for his decision.
It has been an absolute honour to have played for, and to have coached Munster Rugby. I would like to thank the players, coaches, management and fans who have supported me over the last 10 years.
We will continue our drive to end the season on a high, and I look forward to being a Munster supporter in the future.
There have been reports suggesting Rob Howley may be added to the Munster coaching set-up, though it is unknown whether or not this has had an impact on the decisions of the current Munster coaches.
Head Coach Johann van Graan will now be tasked with finding suitable replacements for the former Munster players, along with Defence Coach, JP Ferreira, ahead of next season.
In the same statement, van Graan expressed disappointment at the departure of the former Munster players from the coaching staff.
We will be very disappointed to see Jerry and Felix go at the end of the season. They are both extremely hard-working, dedicated coaches, in addition to being really good guys who have been fantastic to work with.
As a coaching group we will continue with the same commitment and drive for success as always, working towards our upcoming Guinness Pro14 semi-final.
