Is Johann Van Graan Munster’s man with a plan?
THIS feels convenient. Perhaps Johann Van Graan is, as alliteration seems to insist, the man.
However, it also feels very neat, with Rassie Erasmus moving home to work within the South African system, and an assistant coach over there slipping out and taking the place of Erasmus in Munster.
Maybe he is the perfect candidate. Maybe he was the next best after Dave Wessels decided to stay in Australia and move to the Melbourne Rebels.
It is expected that Erasmus will stay around until the new man is settled, but it would be surprising if he were not involved with the Springboks on their European tour, including a stop in Ireland.
Van Graan will eventually be on his own and then his suitability for the job will be determined. He is not moving to Limerick from a winning environment.
The straits the South Africans find themselves in were made obvious by their desperation in repatriating Erasmus, but they have fallen even further in recent times.
A 57-0 beating from New Zealand was the worst they have ever taken from the All Blacks, so Van Graan will have been exposed to plenty of misery by the time he reaches Ireland’s shores.
More pertinent is his absence of head coach experience.
He is said to be regarded as a forwards’ technical specialist, but Munster need more than that.