It's now nearing a month since Graham Rowntree's shock departure from Munster Rugby left both the province and Irish rugby in a sense of shock.
While the conveniently timed International break has afforded Munster Rugby's executive some respite from the controversy that followed Rowntree's departure, Munster's URC return this Saturday will undoubtedly cast the issue back into the limelight.
Despite delivering the province's only piece of silverware of the past decade and topping last year's league, Rowntree departed the club just two years after taking the role on amid a disappointing run of results that left Munster 12th place in the URC.
After the Leicester Legend's tenure came to an unexpected end, it wasn't long before names like Ronan O'Gara and Felix Jones were being linked with the role. However, O'Gara has since firmly ruled himself out of contention, while Jones' contract situation with the RFU remains an unknown quantity, with varying reports confirming both his availability and lack of availability.
26 October 2024; Munster coach Graham Rowntree relaxes on the field before the United Rugby Championship match between Hollywoodbets Sharks and Munster at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban, South Africa. Photo by Shaun Roy/Sportsfile
Stuart Lancaster linked with surprise return to Irish rugby
According to rumours circulating in Frace this morning, a previously unconsidered candidate is now Munster Rugby's preferred man for the job.
Unconfirmed reports from the French Twitter page Parlez-Vous French Rugby, are claiming that Racing-92 head coach Stuart Lancaster has emerged as the province's preferred option to take over as head coach.
Despite this story originating from a social media source, Lancaster's previous success in Irish rugby could very well make him an attractive proposition for Munster Rugby, who are in need of an experienced coach to dig them out of their current form.
20 May 2023; Leinster senior coach Stuart Lancaster before the Heineken Champions Cup final match between Leinster and La Rochelle at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
Before his current role, Lancaster enjoyed a successful seven-year stint in Leinster that saw the club enjoy one of the most fruitful periods in its history, claiming four League titles and the 2018 Champions Cup,
However, having left Leinster in 2023 the former England head coach has struggled to emulate that success with Paris. The high-spending Parisian club finished just sixth in Lancaster's first year in charge.
For an under-pressure Lancaster, the start to this season has proved just as turbulent, with Racing-92 currently sitting eighth in the Top 14, having won just five of their opening ten games.
Lancaster also has previous experience working with the now-departed Graham Rowntree, with the pair working together when Lancaster was the head coach of England between 2011 and 2015, and Rowntree his forwards coach.
Munster's next game will see interim head coach Ian Costello try to mastermind a win over the Emirates Lions, with a Munster side who will be without their key internationals.
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