Update: Denis Leamy rules himself out of running for Munster top job as Prendergast also agrees contract extension
SIGNING ON: Attack coach Mike Prendergast at Munster Rugby Squad Training at UL on Tuesday. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
DENIS Leamy ruled himself out of the running to become new Munster head coach but the defence coach looked forward to an “exciting time” under the incoming boss after signing a two-year contract that will take him through to the summer of 2027.
Munster have parted company with both head coach Graham Rowntree and forwards coach Andi Kyriacou in the past month, breaking up the ticket which guided the province to its first silverware in a dozen years with the URC title in May 2023. The two remaining assistants, Leamy and attack coach Mike Prendergast have both extended their stays for two years, new deals announced by Munster on Tuesday.
Prendergast has not performed any media duties since Rowntree’s departure on October 29 but has been installed as favourite to succeed the title-winning boss, while Leamy faced the media on Tuesday to preview this Saturday’s resumption of what has been a difficult start to the URC campaign, at home to the in-form Lions.
Asked about the head coach vacancy, former Munster and Ireland back-rower Leamy, a two-time Heineken Cup winner with his home province, said: “For myself, it doesn’t interest me right now. You never know down the line but right now I’m very happy in my defensive brief. I’m really enjoying that and developing at that so right now it’s not on my radar.”
Leamy and Prendergast’s new deals appear to offer the Munster natives a role in the new backroom set-up, whomever succeeds Rowntree, and the defence coach added:
“It’s very exciting. Obviously time will tell who that it is but it’s very exciting to work with different people and be exposed to different people.
“Whoever the head coach is, it will be very exciting to learn from them, develop from them and very interesting. So we’ll wait and see what happens there but it’s definitely an exciting time in its own way and there’s a freshness that comes with it.
"It's a special place to people who grew up here, so to be asked to coach Munster is an absolute honour and to be asked to continue on for another two years is really special. So I didn't have to think long or hard about it.”
Munster have placed head of rugby operations Ian Costello in interim charge as the search for Rowntree’s successor continues and Leamy insisted there was no need to rush into an appointment.
"We don't feel right now that we need to have someone in the building straight away.
"We feel that the last couple of weeks have run very smoothly, and we're very confident over the short term. I'm sure in due course, the board and the powers that be in Munster rugby will come up with the right person that they see fit to do the job.” end
Prendergast has signed a new two-year deal to keep the attack coach at Munster until the summer of 2027.
His work has also put him in the frame to succeed Rowntree as Munster’s next head coach with interim boss and head of rugby operations Ian Costello having ruled himself out of the running. Double World Cup-winning assistant coach and former Munster and Ireland full-back Felix Jones is also one of the bookmakers’ favourites, though would need to secure an exit from the remainder of his England coaching contract, which he is currently serving out a one-year notice period having tendered his resignation last August.
Former England boss and Leinster senior coach Stuart Lancaster, currently in charge at Racing 92, has also emerged as a contender according to French media reports but Prendergast remains favourite and now has a secure mid-term future at Munster already mapped out alongside Leamy.
