Munster will name their new club captain ahead of their opening BKT URC game against Connacht on 21 September, head coach Graham Rowntree has confirmed.
Last season Peter O'Mahony stepped down after ten years, with Tadhg Beirne and Diarmuid Barron among those to audition for the role.
Keith Earls, Simon Zebo, Andrew Conway and RG Snyman were among a cohort of experienced players who left the club over the last 12 months but Rowntree said he is confident in the current leadership group, including Ireland captain O’Mahony.
"Most clubs have a leadership group and I’ve got eight guys in mind," he said.
"I’d like to think I can call on any of them to captain the team and rely on the support of each other.
"Tadhg did a good job, very good. This will be the first time a Munster coach has picked a captain for 10 years; there’s no playbook here. I wasn’t going to be rushed.
"I certainly wanted to see a few other guys - candidates - to see how they performed and some of them were injured for big pockets of last season.
"So, I’ve had to take my time. I’m close to announcing who that will be and that will be announced the week of the first URC game.
"I took my time on purpose. In short, I’ve a very healthy leadership group and they’ll help the candidate that’s named.
"Pete [is] a warrior. He leads with his actions, but he’s a good talker who speaks very well to the group and he’s very good at adjusting the tone of training or just the environment up or down as he sees it.
"He’s good with the youngsters. He’s learnt that warmth as he’s become older as a player. I’ve seen a lot of guys at his stage who get frustrated by the younger players because they don’t get it as quickly as they do.
"Pete’s developed that side.
"He’s going to be huge for us, I’m delighted we got [the contract] over the line in the end.
"The early evidence is he’s going to be good for us."
Meanwhile, Jean Kleyn and Dave Kilcoyne are on schedule to be fit for their opening match.
The duo missed most of last season, when Munster topped the standings but lost a home semi-final to eventual winners Glasgow, with eye and shoulder injuries, respectively.
"Imminently...to be confirmed, yeah [hopefully round one], moving well and tracking well towards that," head coach Graham Rowntree told RTÉ Sport two weeks out from their opening league fixture.
South African World Cup winner Kleyn suffered his injury in their loss to Leinster last November.
"He had an eye injury, he has had a procedure," added Rowntree of the 31-year-old lock.
"He’s still got some return-to-contact to tick off, he’s still got to complete a full week’s training before he returns for us but that looks like it will all be on schedule for URC week one.
Liam Coombes and Jack Daly will go through return-to-play concussion protocols following injuries in the weekend’s defeat to Gloucester, while Edwin Edogbo, who injured his knee last December, is expected back in November.
Forward Tom Ahern is also on track to be fit for the start of the season after an ankle injury.
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