Graeme Rowntree (center) celebrates winning the United Rugby Championship trophy with Munster technical coach George Murray (left to right) and offensive coach Mike Prendergast, defensive coach Denis Limy and forward coach Andy Kiriakou Photo: Shutterstock/James Crombie
Winning the Munster Rugby Championship final on Saturday night ended an extraordinary knockout period in men in red rugby. The Irish province traveled to Glasgow, Dublin and then Cape Town, where they defeated the defending champions, the Stormers, in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals respectively on Saturday to claim the most unexpected title ever.
Nobody gave Munster a chance. Having lost five of their first seven URC matches this season, Munster languished in 14th place in the standings, with critics swirling around Graham Rowntree in his first season as head coach. Following the sudden departure of Johann van Graan to Bath last season, the former Leicester, England and Lions defender was promoted to a senior position for the first time in his career. Rowntree's appointment was considered a gamble at the time, and earlier this season, skeptics argued it didn't pay off.
How wrong they were. Rowntree, along with attacking guru Mike Prendergast — a Limerick native who has worked as a manager at some of France's most fashionable clubs — breathed new life into Munster, instilling a panache, ambition and faith that was sorely lacking, but which emerged in Cape Town Saturday.At this point it is worth remembering how Rowntree ended up on the west coast of Ireland. The former bum was sacked by the Rugby Football Union, along with head coach Stuart Lancaster and his assistants Andy Farrell and Mike Catt, following England's disappointing 2015 World Cup campaign when the hosts failed to advance from the group stages for the first time in the tournament. history.
The short-sighted RFU led to a drain of talent from England
Despite admitting that the quartet would always hang on the walls after such a resounding failure, the inescapable truth was that no one in English rugby would be happy to see their back. These four Englishmen have seen significant improvements against England since another World Cup setback in 2011 and have been respected and honest coaches, respected by players and the media alike.
Pressure is a cruel mistress, and in 2015 it was undoubtedly overwhelming, but a sense of myopia has always prevailed in the decision of the RFU; it feels like the governing body dissolved the quartet because it thought it should, not because it thought it was in the interest of English rugby.
After all, Sir Clive Woodward's first World Cup in 1999 could not compare with his second in 2003. Who knows what might have happened if the quartet survived the shame of 2015. Instead, the RFU chose a certain Eddie Jones who, like this quartet, led England to some of their brightest days. However, England will travel to the 2023 World Cup with a head coach who will only be in the position for 10 months by the start of the tournament in September.
England's failure made Ireland the No. 1 team in the world
The myopia of the RFU is now back to bite them for the saying. Lancaster has proven himself to be an inspiring and insightful manager at Leinster and will go to Racing '92 next season with the keys to Dublin practically in his pocket. Farrell and Catt have taken Ireland from World Cup weaklings to the world's No. 1 team – with Grand Slams and New Zealand series victories under their belts – and if they can drive Ireland's global scam in France later this year, they'll have the keys to the whole country is practically in their pockets.
However, before Saturday, this trio had already completed their path to redemption. They chased away their 2015 nightmare and rose from the ashes. Only Rowntree remained. However, with Munster's first major trophy since 2011, all four have now achieved redemption. All four have proven their worth and Ireland is a beneficiary. And, what is scary, as it often happens, English rugby is getting poorer because of this.
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