The provinces and the IRFU announced the news on Tuesday
Munster Rugby today confirmed that attack coach Mike Prendergast and defence coach Denis Leamy have extended their stays with the province. The home-grown coaches have both signed 2 years deals through to the end of the 2026/2027 season.
Both coaches are currently in their third season at the club, having joined in the summer 2022. They were both appointed by then head coach Graham Rowntree and played key roles in Munster’s 2023 title winning season.
Leamy, a Heineken Cup winner back in 2006 and 2008, and former Ireland international has a rich coaching pedigree already. The Tipperary native has worked with several AIL clubs as well as spending three years with rivals Leinster before returning to Munster. Munster have boasted one of the best defences in the URC in recent seasons under the stewardship of Leamy.
Prendergast, who also played for the province across the early 2000’s, joined the club back in 2022 as one of the hottest prospects in the coaching sphere. The Limerick native spent almost a decade in France with Grenoble, Oyonnax, Stade Francais and Racing 92; the latter of which he helped steer to a European final.
Sources close to Limerick Voice believe that Prendergast is still in the running for the vacant head coach role, and that this contract renewal will not affect that. Munster have also been linked with former England and Leinster coach Stuart Lancaster and that he is still in the mix for the position, as was reported by French newspapers earlier this week.
Munster return to URC action this Saturday night in Thomond Park as they host the Emirates Lions in a crucial must-win game in front of the Limerick faithful. Alex Nankivell and Alex Kendellen are available for this one, but Oli Jager, Jean Kleyn, Seán O’Brien, Diarmuid Kilgallen and Jeremy Loughman have been ruled out of action.