“I am thrilled and honoured to be coming back home to play for Munster.”
As home-comings go, Simon Zebo heading back to Munster will lift many a spirit. For Niall Ronan, though, he will not be fully content until Ronan O’Gara is back as head coach of the province.
The Rainbow Cup offers Munster the final chance to win a trophy, this season, and prevent it from being a decade in the silverware wilderness.
Ronan was part of the last Munster squad to win a trophy – the 2011 Celtic League – and he has been keeping a close eye on events at his adopted rugby province since injury curtailed his playing career with the province.
Although he is from Meath and played four seasons with Leinster, under four different coaches, Ronan says his rugby loyalties lie with Munster, with whom he played over 100 games with for seven seasons.
Looking at Leinster’s dominance of the PRO14, where they recently defeated Munster in the final to win their fourth successive title, the former Ireland back-row believes a change is needed in the Munster coaching set-up.
“First of all,” he begins, “Leinster have a phenomenal team. They also have indigenous coaches, which Munster don’t, and that’s sad to say.
“Personally, I’d like to see a change in management at Munster. I’d like ROG in there, in the next 12 months. It would be a change in voice, who’s an ex-Munster guy and Munster at the heart. It would be a great move.
“Leo Cullen has that voice at Leinster. He has been there and done it, for them. He then has world-class coaches like Lancaster and Contepomi around him.
“ROG has travelled the world and has worked with different coaches and players, in France and New Zealand. He has built up a network that would be handy for recruitment.”
Ronan, who was helping to launch the Talk E.D. campaign, believes the province bringing back O’Gara would ‘create a real buzz’ and believes the former Munster outhalf has earned the right to return in a senior role after his stints at Racing 92, Crusaders and La Rochelle.
Munster have announced that Ian Costello is returning to the province to oversee its academy and fans will be excited by Zebo’s return. He is back on a one-season deal.
Current Munster head coach Johann van Graan says, “Simon’s desire to return to Ireland and play with his home club is illustrated by his willingness to sign at a level below his market value elsewhere.”
Ronan is currently running Titan Fitness and Remote Fitness as well as working as a strength and conditioning coach with the Meath inter-county footballers.
He did find time, though, to get involved in the talk E.D. campaign, which aims to help men discuss more openly challenges with erectile dysfunction (ED).
“One in three men in Ireland have suffered from erectile dysfunction. The idea of the campaign, and interview series, is to encourage men to talk about it. Don’t be afraid. As a society, we’re more open that ever, but there’s still a lot of room for improvement.”
Ronan’s discussion with broadcaster Hector Ó hEochagáin, about E.D, can be viewed HERE.
