Johann van Graan activated release clause in two-year contract to leave Munster job

An element of mystery continues to surround the decision by Johann van Graan to leave his role as Munster head coach at the end of the current season. Although Munster's statement yesterday said negotiations were at an advanced stage regarding the offer of a new contract, The Irish Times has learned that he agreed a new two-year deal last March and actually signed it in July.

However, van Graan has seemingly activated a release clause in this contract and will now finish up with Munster after five seasons at the helm.

One source told The Irish Times that a deal for him to take over at Bath, the Premiership’s bottom-place club, has already been done, but in addition to the lure of that job it appears there may have been issues at play as well.

Van Graan had been very keen for Munster to re-sign the World Cup-winning pair of RG Snyman and Damian de Allende. Both of those signings are understood to have been funded, at least in part, by the so-called ‘1014’ group of private backers.

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But after Snyman’s cruel misfortune in suffering two ruptures of his anterior cruciate ligament there appears to have been a reluctance to sanction a new deal. De Allende is also expected to move after this season, most probably back to Japan.

There appear to be frictions behind the scenes and the exodus may not stop there because in addition to Stephen Larkham - who is returning to the Brumbies as head coach - it is anticipated that defence coach, JP Ferreira, may also accompany van Graan to his next port of call.

Furthermore Graham Rowntree, like Ferreira, is employed directly by Munster and, as with van Graan and Larkham, their contracts also expire at the end of the current season.

Rowntree has done a fine job with the Munster forwards and would be another significant loss if he didn’t re-sign. Indeed, he might even be an option to succeed van Graan.

While Munster now have time to draw up a shortlist and identify a successor, the final choice will require the IRFU’s imprimatur and specifically high performance director David Nuicfora, who made clear the loss of van Graan to the Irish system was “extremely disappointing”.

Results-based business

Therein lies the rub. Although Munster have time, and their name has a huge cache in the world of rugby, like all other provincial head coaches in the Irish provincial system they operate in a results-based business, yet serve the IRFU and the Irish team.

Ronan O’Gara would be the favourite choice, and ideally in the ‘dream ticket’ alongside Paul O’Connell, but both men are at the start of projects they will not be inclined to abandon.

There's also a retinue of ex-Munster players coaching abroad in addition to O'Gara. Mike Prendergast has put together an impressive CV over the last nine years in the Top 14 and, likewise, James Coghlan's coaching graph continues to rise. After spells with Pau, Aix and Brive, he's moved from defence coach to forwards coach at Toulon.

Jerry Flannery and Felix Jones, who each rejected new deals and left Munster in 2019, have been part of high achieving Harlequins and South African coaching tickets. Further afield, former centre Jason Holland has risen to head coach at the Hurricanes. The former Irish under-20s coach and Leinster academy director Noel McNamara is now at the Sharks and current academy manager Ian Costello presided over last Sunday’s remarkable win away to Wasps.

Yet four of Munster’s last five coaches have come from abroad, namely Tony McGahon (an Aussie), Rob Penney (a Kiwi) and two South Africans - Rassie Erasmus and van Graan.

Hence, who knows how many candidates outside the Munster sphere might emerge, be it an experienced head coach such as Chris Boyd, whose current deal at Northampton expires at the end of this season, or comparatively little known coaches.

After all, Michael Cheika and Joe Schmidt were ingenious punts by Leinster if not the first cousins of household names at the time, and van Graan himself was a relatively obscure appointment.

Into this category could fall the former Leinster centre Andrew Goodman who played 17 games under Schmidt in the 2011-12 and 12-13 seasons. Head coach with the Tasman Makos, he's also attack coach with the all-conquering Crusaders under Scott Robertson.

Robertson, of course, would be a blinding choice if he has become dispirited by the NZRU overlooking him for the All Blacks job. Given his clear designs on the latter, it’s a long shot but definitely worth a phone call.

While the majority of the initial 34-strong party who returned from South Africa are back in their HPC, Munster had further bad news yesterday with confirmation that Joey Carbery sustained a fractured elbow against Wasps last Sunday. No estimate was given on his recovery time, but Carbery is facing a six to eight week lay-off with rehab and without complications, thus placing his early Six Nations participation in doubt.

Possible candidates for Munster job

Ronan O’Gara

Stand-out candidate and bookies’ favourite. The two-time Heineken Cup winner is Munster’s record points scorer with 2,625 in 240 games. Has won a French Championship and two Super titles as assistant coach with Racing and the Crusaders, and helped La Rochelle to two finals last season. But at the beginning of a three-year project and family are settled. The timing looks wrong.

Paul O’Connell

Another two-time Heineken Cup legend, and joint second favourite. But having dipped his toes with Stade Francais he gave the distinct impression that the 24/7 club grind may not be for him. Thriving in Test rugby’s windows with Ireland and at the start of that project, like O’Gara the timing looks wrong.

Mike Prendergast

The other joint second favourite, Prendergast had a less distinguished playing career given Peter Stringer’s hold on the 9 jersey, but after stints with Grenoble, Oyonnax and Stade Francais, is now in his third campaign as attack coach with Russell, Vakatawa, Beale and the Racing galacticos. Leave all that? Also has another season-and-half on his contract.