RONAN O' GARA is the bookies' favourite to replace the current Munster boss, Johann van Graan, when he leaves Munster at the end of the season. The former Ireland fly-half is 10-11 with bookmakers to make the move back to Limerick.
O' Gara is hugely popular with the province, winning two Heineken Cups and featuring in sixteen seasons for Munster. He's also won 128 caps for Ireland.
Johann Van Graan will leave his post as Munster coach at the end of the season.
We've priced up who will replace him, with Ronan O'Gara the 8/11 favourite.
Find the full market here: https://t.co/lAeqG49zH9 pic.twitter.com/YLG4wqTHOg— Paddy Power (@paddypower) December 14, 2021
Another Munster former hero is Paul O’Connell. The 42-year-old is now into 5/4 from 7/4 making him the second favorite.
Former England player Graham Rowntree (4/1), former Ireland player Felix Jones (7/1) and former Munster hooker Jerry Flannery (12/1) are other possible candidates in the betting market
Sarah Kinsella, spokesperson for BoyleSports said:
“Munster Rugby head coach Johann van Grann is leaving his position at the end of the season with Ronan O’Gara fancied to replace him. Since van Graan joined in 2017, Munster have reached two Champions Cup semi-finals, three league semi-finals, and a PRO14 final earlier this year and O’Gara is now 10/11 favorite from 5/4 to fill the position.”
"The timing is wrong. I don't think it's going to happen."@GerryThornley can't see Ronan O'Gara or Paul O'Connell taking over at Munster.
Watch in full: https://t.co/jauOfL568X@VodafoneIreland #TeamOfUs pic.twitter.com/8rwJkJIj8C— Off The Ball (@offtheball) December 14, 2021
Speaking to the Sunday World, former Munster player Mick Galwey felt that O' Gara or O' Connell would be a dream appointment for Munster supporters;
"But who will get the best out of that talent from next summer onwards as Munster’s next Head Coach? Every Munster supporter would be delighted to see Ronan O’Gara or Paul O’Connell get the job, said Galwey
Rog has the advantage of much more experience and being a head coach right now. But can Munster praise him away from La Rochelle, where he is doing a great job?
Paulie has done a great job in his one-year with the Irish line-out – there was no line-out messing during the Autumn Tests last month. If the big man gets the job, he will need to bring in a top-line backs coach for that part of the team.
He also added that it will be a bitter disappointment if one doesn't get the call;
There will be bitter disappointment if neither man gets the call. I mean, when are we going to give our own coaches a break if one of two Munster legends does not get the job this time around?
No, the Munster bosses have got to get one of them to lead our team to a future made all the brighter by last Sunday".
Initial odds from Boylesports had the La Rochelle head coach at 5/4, but those odds have now gone to 10/11 in the market.
Next Munster Head Coach
10-11 Ronan O'Gara
5-4 Paul O'Connell
4 Graham Rowntree
7 Felix Jones
12 Jerry Flannery
16 Michael Cheika
16 Stuart Lancaster
25 Scott Robertson
33 Declan Kidney
33 Dan McFarland
50 Les Kiss
66 Andy Friend
100 Leo Cullen
100 Pat Lam
250 Joe Schmidt
See More: Munster, Paul O Connell, Ronan O'Gara, Rugby
