New era, but familiar faces at Rowntree's Munster

MUNSTER

A new era, but haven't we said that before?

After what felt like the longest of seasons, Munster have returned to the drawing board for 2022/23; a new coaching team, a fresh start, but same question persists. When will they finally break through their ceiling?

They had their moments in 2021/22, but from the moment Johann van Graan confirmed his future move to Bath back in December, it felt like the season was drifting away from them and in the end the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final defeat to Toulouse left physical and emotional scars that they just couldn't shake.

While there have been major changes over the summer, there is a familiar hue to them. With Johann van Graan, Stephen Larkham and JP Ferreira all departing, Graham Rowntree has been promoted to the role of head coach, while he will also continue to work on the province's scrum. While he's unproven as a head coach, the Englishman has a proven track record across the last 15 years as an assistant, and his appointment has been popular amongst the fanbase.

Even more popular has been the recruitment around Rowntree, with Mike Prendergast and Denis Leamy returning to their home province to fill the attack and defence coach roles respectively. With Munster's attacking gameplan never truly impressing under Stephen Larkham, there's pressure on Prendergast to bring a greater identity to how Munster play with the ball, particularly after spending the last three seasons working with some of the game's most exciting talent at Racing 92.

With two games against Connacht bookending games against the Bulls, Leinster and Ulster in Rounds 4-8 of the BTK United Rugby Championship, making a fast start away to Cardiff and the Dragons, as well as at home against Zebre Parma,