Bernard Jackman and Johne Murphy believe Munster should go all out to attract Felix Jones to become their new head coach.
The province are looking for their fourth new head coach in eight years, following the sudden departure of Graham Rowntree yesterday.
Director of rugby operations Ian Costello will take charge on an interim basis, starting with Saturday's exhibition against an All Blacks XV at Thomond Park.
Costello could be among the contenders to take over permanently, but much of the clamour would be for the province to headhunt their former full-back Jones, who began his coaching career at Munster following his injury-enforced retirement in 2016.
Jones departed Munster in 2019 before joining Rassie Erasmus’ coaching team at South Africa, helping the Springboks win back-to-back Rugby World Cups, before moving to England at the start of 2024.
The 37-year-old handed in his resignation as England’s defence coach in the summer, just over eight months after starting the position, but will seemingly have to honour his contract with the RFU, for whom he is doing remote analysis work.
"I expect Felix to be doing exactly what we've arranged for him to do," England Steve Borthwick said yesterday when asked if Jones could join Munster in the coming month.
Speaking on this week’s RTÉ Rugby podcast, both Jackman and Murphy believed Jones has to be at the top of Munster’s list.
"I think he’d be a great choice," Jackman said.
With the RFU playing hardball with his contract, Munster will likely have to pay compensation to get their former full-back into the role.
But Jackman says they have to make it happen.
"The whole thing around 'is it realistic?' This is the problem now, where Munster and the IRFU have left the provinces. We have such a closed mindset.
"Think back to the day when they signed RG Snyman and Damian de Allende. Was it likely? No. When they signed Dougie Howlett, when they signed Christian Cullen, when they signed Rassie Erasmus, it was unlikely but they made it happen.
"If they want Felix Jones, and I think he would be an inspired choice, just make it happen. He’s technically in limbo at the moment, but he’s not attached to a club.
"He has a connection to Munster, a deep connection, he’s gone off and proven himself to be one of the best assistant coaches in the world, and has all the attributes of someone who could be an excellent head coach.
"He’s young, for sure, but the pressure of trying to win back-to-back World Cups in a rugby mad country like South Africa, with the players he had, who demand excellence, demand guidance, I think it’s on par.
"If the IRFU are the ones holding Munster back, then get up the road and make your case, because this is death by a thousand cuts.
"I would agree Felix is the man. I have no inside track whether he wants to go back to club coaching, but I’d say if there was a club coach job that he would look at, it would be Munster because he is incredibly proud of being a Munster player and Munster coach in the past."
Murphy, who was a former team-mate of Jones at the province, was in no doubt about who Munster should be targeting.
"Felix is the only one, for me," he said.
"I think how this gets resolved is three people in a room. One person from Munster, one from the RFU and then a representative of Felix, and they come to an agreement."
🗣️ "Felix is the only one... For me, he'd be top of the list. If I had a shortlist of one, it would be him..."@MurphyJohne believes Munster have to make it their mission to get Felix Jones in as head coach.
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) October 30, 2024
📺🎧 Full pod: https://t.co/lCowOBFVgE pic.twitter.com/EwmzpPNDm5
And the ex-Munster wing believes a full-time position in Ireland could prove tempting for Jones, with a wife and two young children.
"This isn't in the international space, it might be something that might suit him. He knows the place, it’s where he started, he’s gone away, got incredible experience, has a detail level and commitment level like potentially no one else in the game.
"And, he really cares about a red jersey. That [emotional investment] can probably be one of his biggest weaknesses, but also one of his biggest strengths.
"With zero skin in the game, I think Jonesy is probably the only one.
"Professionally, going back into the club game from international would be a bit of a change from a family life perspective, but he’s lived in Limerick before, he’s been a part of the coaching staff, he understands what a day-to-day, or a season plan looks like.
"For me, Jonesy would be top of the list, and if I had a shortlist of one it would be him," he added.
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