England's Rowntree to succeed Van Graan as Munster head coach

Former England prop Graham Rowntree will succeed Johann van Graan as head coach of Munster, it was announced on Tuesday.

Rowntree, currently the forwards coach at the Irish province, will be promoted after signing a two-year deal that runs from 1 July.

South African Van Graan will leave the Munster at the end of the season to join English Premiership club Bath.

Rowntree, 50, joined Munster in October 2019.

He spent eight years as an assistant England coach, and filled that role with the British and Irish Lions on their 2013 and 2017 tours. He also had coaching jobs at Leicester and Harlequins.

As a player, Rowntree made almost 400 appearances for Leicester and won 54 England caps. He also toured with the Lions in 1997 and 2005.

Munster Rugby and @IrishRugby are pleased to confirm that Graham Rowntree will be promoted from Forwards Coach to the role of Head Coach from July 1, 2022.Full details ??#SUAF ??

"I am hugely honoured to be taking over the role of head coach for a club of this calibre, one that means so much to me and my family," Rowntree told Munster's website.

"We have thoroughly enjoyed every moment here, and I fortunately get to work with an incredible group of staff and players who share a common goal each day in striving for success."

Munster won the last of their two European Champions Cup titles in 2008 and have not won the United Rugby Championship club competition or any of its predecessors since 2011.

Earlier this month, in a sign of the changing power balance within Irish rugby union, they were well beaten 34-19 by Dublin-based Leinster, the URC leaders.

Munster are, however, still in the last 16 of this season's Champions Cup are just five points adrift of English side Exeter heading into Saturday's second leg