O’Donovan To Bow Out As Munster Team Manager

Along with his 28 years as a coach and manager with Munster and Irish Rugby, he also represented the province as a player in the 1980s.

A Shannon clubman all his life, Niall had a 16-year playing career as a number 8 with the Limerick club between 1977 and 1993. During that period, Shannon contested 11 Munster Senior Challenge Cup finals, winning seven of them.

An impressive start to his coaching career saw him help transform Shannon from relegation candidates in 1993/94 to four-in-a-row All-Ireland League Division 1 champions between 1995 and 1998.

He joined Munster Rugby as an assistant coach in 1997 and helped the province grow into one of Europe’s top teams, reaching the final of the Heineken Cup in both 2000 and 2002.

After five successful years with the province that also included two years as Ireland ‘A’ assistant coach, he moved up to the role of forwards coach with the Ireland Men’s team in 2002.

He helped Ireland to win three Triple Crowns in 2004, 2006, and 2007. The 2004 Triple Crown was Ireland’s first since 1985, and he also took on the role of acting head coach on the successful 2005 tour to Japan.

After rejoining the Ireland ‘A’ coaching team in 2008, he returned to his home province in 2010 as Munster ‘A’ team manager, linking up with Anthony Foley’s British and Irish Cup squad.

O’Donovan’s responsibilities increased the following season, and he was in the combined role of team manager/forwards coach with Munster ‘A’ as they went on to win the British & Irish Cup title in 2012.

Among the young up-and-coming forwards in those Munster ‘A’ sides were current squad members, Peter O’Mahony, Dave Kilcoyne, John Ryan, and Stephen Archer.

He became Munster’s team manager in June 2012 and has played a vital role for the past 13 years, overseeing defining moments such as the move to a single training base at the High Performance Centre in UL in 2016, and enjoying the province’s first trophy success in 12 years when winning the BKT United Rugby Championship in 2023.

‘Niallo’, as he is widely known, has been a steady hand through the highs and lows of Munster Rugby and a pillar of the rugby community as an ever-present figure on the sidelines of Thomond Park, Virgin Media Park, and beyond.

Speaking ahead of his departure this summer, he said: “I have loved my time at Munster and Irish Rugby, and it has been a huge honour to contribute over the past 28 years.

“I was extremely fortunate to have worked alongside many fantastic characters who created the strong identity and unique culture at the province. People who did more than anyone else in transforming Munster Rugby from an amateur organisation into one of the best teams in Europe.

“So many things have changed beyond recognition from when I joined Munster in the early days of professional rugby in 1997.

“It was an amazing adventure as we navigated a new era of pro rugby, led by Garrett Fitzgerald, and watched Munster grow at an incredible speed on and off the pitch. The memories of those special days will live with me forever, and I will always be grateful for the part I got to play in it.

“After a very enjoyable eight years coaching with Ireland and Ireland ‘A’, I was delighted to return in 2012 and work with ‘Axel’ again having coached him when he played with Shannon, Munster, and Ireland.

The past 13 years have flown by, and while we have had some incredible highs, there have been devastating losses at Munster in recent years. We have lost some special people who are always in our thoughts, and when I move on, they will be the ones I think of most.

“While many things have changed, the foundations and values in place will ensure that what is special about this province will endure long into the future.

“I have to give special thanks to my family who have been by my side throughout this journey, and to my wife Cathy, and daughters Laura and Maeve, thank you for your unconditional support and here’s to making weekend plans.”

Munster’s head of rugby operations and interim head coach, Ian Costello, commented: “Niallo has been one of the most widely respected figures in Munster Rugby for the past 28 years.

“Personally, it has been an absolute privilege to work closely with him for over a decade, and I can’t thank him enough for the level of support he has given me and so many others that have been lucky enough to work with him at Munster.

“I first worked with Niallo in 2010 when he was team manager of Munster ‘A’, and again in 2011 when he was forwards coach and manager of the team that won the British & Irish Cup.

“I was fortunate to work with him for the next five seasons in his capacity as team manager of the senior Men’s side and, along with many others, forged a deep friendship and a level of respect for him that continues to this day.

“He represents everything that is good about Munster Rugby, his passion, his values, his incredibly loyalty, and he is the first person that people turn to when they need help.

“What differentiates him from others is the deep level of care he shows every day for the people he works with. He will be hugely missed when he departs at the end of the season.

“We will wish Niallo, Cathy, and the girls the very best for the future when the time comes, and look forward to seeing what we can still achieve this season before he departs.”