Former Irish international Denis Leamy has ruled himself out of trying to become the new Munster head coach and says he is more than happy to remain as an assistant for the next few years.
Leamy, who has signed a contract extension as defence coach which will keep him with his native province until at least the summer of 2027, said it didn’t take him long to make up his mind about staying in the role he started over two years ago.
“Oh, not really, no. It’s a special place to people who grew up here,” said Leamy. “To be asked to coach Munster is an absolute honour and to be asked to fulfil and continue on for another two years is is is really special. So, I didn’t have to think long or hard about it.”
Attack coach Mike Prendergast, who also signed a two-year contract today, remains a firm favourite for the top job following the departure of Graham Rowntree but Leamy, who made 145 appearances for Munster in addition to 57 Irish caps, has ruled himself out.
“No, not right now. I’m concentrating on my brief as a defence coach,” he added. “Certainly my thinking is around how I can develop and make players the best that they can be around the defensive aspect of the game. And the head coach isn’t for me right now. Maybe sometime in the distant future, maybe, but right now, no. I’m very happy to be in the assistant space.”
Leamy said the key now was to get on with the business in hand, starting with a URC clash with the Lions in Thomond Park on Saturday evening, and that the head coach position would sort itself out in due course.
“There’s an ongoing process there as far as I know, from the powers that be above us. Obviously, we don’t know a whole lot around that, and we can’t comment too much on it because we don’t know, but we trust the people, you know, at board level, et cetera, to deal with that.
“We’re really, really focused on the Lions and the next couple of weeks in Europe, and we’re just trying to, as a coaching group and a group in the HPC here in Limerick, just put our best foot forward,” added Leamy.
Meanwhile, while Leamy was impressed with the display of hooker Gus McCarthy on his Irish debut at the weekend, he said they would be concentrating on developing their own players.
Leamy didn’t work with McCarthy during his three-year spell with Leinster as an elite player development officer and later as contact skills coach with the senior squad, but has been aware of his ability for some time.
“I didn’t work with Gus, but I certainly have been aware of him watching him come through the last couple of years. He’s been very impressive, and he had a very impressive debut last week.
“But right now, you know, certainly have conversations around a lot of different positions. But right now, we’re very much focused on our own players and developing our own young guys as much as we possibly can. And we have some very good young front rows, young back rows, second rows. And I’m hoping that you’ll start to see those guys in the next couple of weeks, months, and years to come, and we’re just gonna try and put in place opportunities to filter these young players through,” added Leamy.
