The old 'mutual agreement'.
We don’t know yet if it was Munster who 'mutually agreed' Graham Rowntree or if it was the head coach who 'mutually agreed' Munster, but the 53-year-old Englishman’s time at the club has come to an end after five seasons in Limerick.
However it came about, the news was certainly a shock in the Irish rugby world.
It was only 10 days ago that the former England and Leicester front row cut a defiant figure in his post-match interview after Munster’s URC loss to the Stormers, which came after a heavy defeat to Leinster.
There was also no indication that Rowntree (below) was ready to give up the fight after the loss to the Sharks at the weekend and he spoke about their upcoming game against the All Blacks XV.
"We've got a huge game for the club next," he said.
"We’ve got guys going into international camps, so this is the last time this group is going to be together for a while so we’ll dust ourselves down and move forward."
However, despite the mitigation of injury and the fact that the Sharks unleashed a Springboks pack on their visitors, within all the recent performances, including the round-two loss to Zebre, the team looked disjointed, an incredible amount of basic mistakes and system errors abounded.
Things came to a head on Tuesday morning and now head of rugby operations Ian Costello will take interim charge of the team.
But the club is on the look-out for a new boss who can get the 2023 URC winners, 12th in the table, out of their rut.
MOST LIKELY
Mike Prendergast
Installed as attack coach in 2022 after spending nine years coaching in France, the former Munster scrum-half looks a likely man to succeed Rowntree.
The continuity aspect is obvious, and the 47-year-old is a hugely respected figure there.
The Limerick man worked in various coaching roles with Grenoble, Oyonnax, Stade Francais and Racing 92 before returning to Munster.
The club spent long enough on the managerial merry-go-round over the last decade so the uncomplicated appointment of Prendergast would make sense.
Ian Costello
Currently the head of rugby operations with Munster, a role he has held since 2023, Costello has worked a variety of assistant roles over his career.
He was head coach of the Munster 'A' team prior to taking an assistant role with the seniors in 2014, and has worked in the academy and with the IRFU as an elite player development officer.
Between 2016 and 2021, the former Garryowen and UL Bohs player was defence coach with Wasps and head coach with Nottingham Rugby.
His job description on the Munster website includes "long-term strategic development of the elite player pathway, succession planning...recruiting players in conjunction with the head coach."
If Munster were to re-jig their management structure, a director of rugby role could suit a new-look ticket.
LONG SHOTS
Ronan O'Gara
When the former Ireland and Munster out-half was learning his coaching trade at Racing and then Crusaders between 2013 and 2019, it seemed only a matter of time before a return to his home club.
But the 47-year-old's stunning success with La Rochelle, leading them to two Champions Cup victories, appears to have changed the trajectory of his management pathway.
Life is good on the west coast of France and the Bouclier de Brennus looks like a mission for the Corkman.
However, if he were to indicate an interest at this point, Munster would hardly be able to say no.
Felix Jones
Jones, who helped the Springboks to back-to-back World Cup wins, is one of the most highly-coveted coaches in the game.
He is still employed by the RFU after handing in his resignation as assistant back in August and works remotely from Dublin as an analyst.
England seem determined to make him work out his 12-month notice period, however, that may have been to ensure Six Nations rivals Ireland didn’t snap him up. A return to Munster, for whom he played for six years, might appeal but the 37-year-old does not have any head coach experience.
Paul O’Connell
Currently working in the Ireland set-up as forwards coach, the Munster legend was also touted for a return to the club in a coaching capacity.
But a spell as an assistant with Stade in Paris didn’t go well and he appears very settled in Andy Farrell’s coaching ticket, where he joined in 2021.
That said, if he wanted to go it alone and throw his hat in the ring, Munster would surely be interested.
James Coughlan
Another Munster stalwart who cut his coaching teeth in France, Coughlan is currently the director of rugby at Biarritz.
The 43-year-old Cork man played over 100 times for Munster before finishing his career with Pau.
He had spells as assistant with Pau, Aix and Brive before switching to Toulon in 2021 and stood in as head coach for a period in 2021.
Coughlan only started with the Basque club over the summer so may be reluctant to end that project so early.
Simon Easterby
The former Ireland international will become the interim head coach of the national team when Farrell departs for Lions duty following the November internationals.
If Munster were interested in the experienced 49-year-old, they would have to play a waiting game.
It’s been ten years since he was head coach with the Scarlets and he could have his sights set on replacing Farrell when the former England international decides it’s time to move on.
