Ronan O’Gara reveals ‘unease’ over Munster appointment but urges him to reach out to ‘real leader’ Peter O’Mahony
Ireland legend Ronan O'Gara and Chiefs boss Clayton McMillan, who will become Munster head coach in July.
Ronan O’Gara has questioned Munster’s appointment of Clayton McMillan as head coach after the New Zealander beat Mike Prendergast to the role.
It was revealed last week that the current Chiefs boss would be leaving his position at the Super Rugby Pacific franchise to join the Irish province in July.
McMillan has signed a three-year deal to become Munster’s permanent boss, effectively taking over from Graham Rowntree who was sacked in October 2024.
New roles
Ian Costello has been doing the job on an interim basis since Rowntree’s departure, but he has named as their new general manager.
Many thought that Prendergast would become the head honcho but he has instead been elevated to senior coach.
“It’s nothing to do with the new man, but I’m still a touch uneasy about the process,” O’Gara wrote in his Irish Examiner column.
“Mike Prendergast now goes to three, it looks like, in the pecking order… I’ve heard a lot that Prendergast hadn’t enough experience.
“But Richie Murphy had little experience as a head coach. Leo Cullen had none. McMillan only has three years, really.
“Prendergast has travelled for 10 years in France. I can assure you it wasn’t for a lifestyle change. He headed to the toughest league, to a hostile environment with little grasp of the language to become a better coach and be ready when opportunity presented.
“He’s powered through a lot of work as a senior coach with Munster. Everyone says he has a brilliant relationship with the players… but look, that’s the call.
“And I do get the sense this is truly Munster’s call. If they wanted Prendergast as number one, they would have got that. The IRFU wouldn’t have blocked it.
“I could be wrong on that, but this looks like Munster’s decision and one they’ll live or die by. Hopefully they’ll prosper.”
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End of an era for Munster
The news of McMillan came in the same week that two Munster legends, Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray, announced their retirement from international rugby.
Both will also depart the province at the end of the season, with O’Mahony calling it a day altogether and Murray looking for an opportunity overseas.
It leaves a rather sizeable hole in the Munster squad, given the experience they have and the quality they still offer, but O’Gara reckons the incoming head coach should be on the phone to the back-row urging him to reverse his decision.
“I wonder how Clayton McMillan reacted to the news. That’s a lot of knowhow leaving the Munster dressing room just as he arrives to spec a three-year project,” he wrote.
“A real leader will understand what’s best for the group. He’ll (O’Mahony) look in the mirror and see the truth. Know deep down he might only be needed every four or five matches, or whatever it is, but that he can still contribute.
“There are very few of those guys in the world, but I get a feeling Peter might just be one. If I was Clayton, I wouldn’t be accepting his ‘no’ just yet. I’d be saying, hold on, I need to speak to you.”
