NEW MAN HOLDS KEY FOR REDS
AFTER almost a decade on the coaching beat in France, Mike Prendergast is coming home. The former Munster scrum-half has been touted as the province’s next attack coach for quite some time and, finally, he has been confirmed as the first
appointment to Graham Rowntree’s new-look backroom team for next season.
Prendergast arrives back in his native Limerick armed with an impressive CV, taking in coaching stints at Grenoble — alongside Bernard Jackman — Oyonnax, Stade Francais and big-spending Racing 92. The Parisian club is where he built a reputation as a innovative, attack minded operator. The French giants aren’t short of a few euro and have assembled a Galactico backline from across the globe, featuring Finn Russell, Kurtley Beale and Virimi Vakatawa. Fittingly, the club play an expansive and exciting style of rugby. And Prendergast has been at the heart of cultivating such a thrilling gameplan since he joined the club’s coaching team in 2019.
As Munster’s attacking game stuttered under Stephen Larkham’s watch, there were continued calls for Prendergast to be brought back to Thomond Park. When the former Wallabies out-half signalled his intention to leave his post at the end of the season, those calls grew louder.
Rowntree has now got his man. The 44-year-old has clearly got the experience and coaching nous to leave his imprint on Munster’s attacking game. He ticks a lot of other boxes too. A home-grown voice in the coaching set-up? Check. An attack-minded coach? Check. A local who understands the culture and ethos of the place? Check.
Prendergast is Munster born and bred. Having lined out for Young Munster in the All-Ireland League, he graduated into the province’s senior ranks at the peak of their powers but struggled to get game time.
A certain Peter Stringer was front and centre back then. Prendergast left Thomond Park after their maiden Heineken Cup-winning season in 2006, plying his trade with Bourgoin and Gloucester for a few seasons. All the while, he was working on his coaching knowledge, knowing full well that was the next step in his career.
He returned to Munster for one more season before moving into the coaching game. Like his close friend Ronan O’Gara, he wanted to earn his coaching stripes abroad before returning to Munster. Now, he has the knowledge and big-game experience to make a real impact.
He will have plenty of raw material at his disposal. He knows all about Simon Zebo after their days together in Racing but it’s Munster’s youthful brigade that will excite him.
In Craig Casey and Joey Carbery, he has a half-back pairing tailor-made for an expansive, high-tempo approach.
Ben Healy and Jack Crowley are two No10s with plenty of potential. There’s Shane Daly, who has thrived in Andrew Conway’s injury-enforced absence, as well as exciting backs Patrick Campbell, Tony Butler and Conor Philips.
Provided he can stay fit, a tag which seems to accompany every overseas signing who arrives in Munster, former All Black centre Malakai Fekitoa is another potent
Prendergast cultivated a thrilling gameplan
weapon to add to Prendergast’s armoury. Perhaps he can also get the best out of Chris Farrell? The Belfast-born midfielder found a new lease of life working alongside Prendergast at Grenoble before Munster came calling.
What’s more, there are no shortage of forwards with the requisite skills to play ball as well. Josh Wycherley, Thomas Ahern, Alex Kendellen and Jack O’Sullivan are all modern-day forwards who are born to run.
That is the way forward for Munster now. Perhaps they can finally end their decade-long trophy drought in the months ahead? Whatever transpires at the business end of this season, there will be good vibes next term. Rowntree’s appointment has been greeted with widespread approval. His first piece of business has also been shrewd.
Prendergast is a smart appointment. He could well be the key to unlocking’s this Munster squad’s attacking potential.