Dec 11,2024
Mike Prendergast has confirmed his interest in becoming head coach of Munster next season, as the province continue their search for Graham Rowntree's replacement.
Prendergast had been among the early favourites for the job when Rowntree left Munster in a shock departure in late October.
Having previously worked as an assistant at Grenoble, Oyonnax, Stade Francais and Racing 92, the former scrum-half had been the subject of interest from other French sides recently before committing his future to his home province by agreeing a two-year extension to his role as attack coach in late November.
But the Limerick native says the terms of that contract extension are not set in stone, confirming his interest in the vacant head coach job.
Prendergast started his coaching career as director of rugby at Young Munster, before moving to Grenoble in 2013, spending nine years in France until he returned to Limerick in 2022, working as attack coach to Graham Rowntree.
And the 47-year-old says he feels ready to take the step up to a head coaching role.
"The more experience you get of different environments, the different coaches I've been under, you take a lot from that. It gets you thinking, the longer you’re in your career what direction you want to go.
"It’s something I would have envisaged [being a head coach]. If it’s now, or if it’s in the future, the club will decide that.
"As of now I have signed as the attack coach. I’m really happy, I love doing that as well. Time will tell on that side.
"I’ve signed up for two years to be the attack coach, and then obviously the head coach role will be something the club will make a decision on. The club have been very clear on it, they're not rushing into anything because they have to get it right and I think everyone respects that."
Prendergast has been a popular appointment as attack coach, both internally and externally, with Munster playing a more adventurous and high-tempo game since he replaced Stephen Larkham running the attack.
And wing Calvin Nash believes his fellow Young Munster man would be a popular appointment if he did become head coach.
"He is a class coach. He really suits us. He is calm and collected," Nash said of Prendergast.
"That calm presence is really good. I feel that when things are going very well for you, you need someone to calm you down as well, to keep you central and on ground, and when things are not going well, you also need someone to tell you 'this is what we focus on, this is what we are going to build towards’, and I feel Prendy would be class on something like that.
"He knows a lot of the players, he knows the way we want to play, so naturally he would be a good fit if he was to be selected for head coach."
Away from the coaching vacancy, Munster had good news on the injury front this week, with props Dave Kilcoyne (above) and Oli Jager both making a return to full training.
Jager had been sideline since the URC Round 3 win against the Ospreys in early October, while Kilcoyne’s last game was back on St Stephen’s Day in 2023, with back-to-back shoulder and ankle injures sidelining him for just under 12 months.
It’s contributed to a prop shortage at Munster this season, which is finally starting to ease.
"Credit to the lads that have been there and had to lift a lot over the last number of months, the likes of Stephen Archer and John Ryan who have been very good for us.
"Again, just having that competitiveness back, and being able to look after players as well, when you have a bit of depth in each position you can look after guys. It’s something we’ve done over the last few weeks and will look at over the next few weeks.
"To have the likes of Oli and Dave Kilcoyne back is huge. For them as well, especially Dave Kilcoyne, he’s been out for a long time now, so to see him back on the pitch is really, really good," Prendergast added.
