Munster have been mired in mediocrity for an extended, very long time.
Your entire operation has been blighted by controversy. Roger Randle, redundancies, a revolving door of coaches, dwindling attendances, legends of the membership getting in studs up. We may go on…
So, this week’s announcement of Avan Lee because the province’s interim CEO represented one thing of a reboot. A clear slate. An opportunity to start out afresh.
Lee seems a shrewd appointment. Impressively, he fronted as much as the media earlier this week. For the file, the New Zealander doesn’t formally start his position till October 21.
Ian Flanagan, his embattled predecessor, was infamously reticent when it got here to dealing with the media throughout his tough seven-year reign. So, Lee has credit score within the financial institution already.
The problem we now have is that the IRFU and Munster communications groups thought it prudent to solely invite 5 media titles (The Irish Instances, Irish Unbiased, Irish Examiner, the42 and RTE) onto an early-morning convention name with Lee on Wednesday.
Why all of the secrecy? Not the very best begin on the PR entrance is it? Munster, to their credit score, made a sensible rent.
Avan Lee seems like a shrewd appointment for the province
They need to have been shouting it from the rooftops. As a substitute, they invited a handful of journalists into conclave.
Apart from the Mail, amongst different journalists excluded was the two-time, back-to-back sports activities author of the yr, Derek Foley. (As in One F within the Ross O’Carroll Kelly universe).
It appeared an odd scenario so naturally, we adopted up with the IRFU and Munster comms groups the next day.
Aoife Clarke, the IRFU’s Director of Communications, knowledgeable me that they needed to start out on the ‘entrance foot’.
Aoife Clarke, the IRFU’s Director of Communications, knowledgeable me that they needed to start out on the ‘entrance foot’
Unusually, Clarke, unprompted, introduced up a current function on the state of rugby in Waterford and the way Munster have been none-too-pleased with features of the article.
They’re nonetheless narky in regards to the 100% correct headline stating that the province hadn’t educated within the county for 15 years it appears.
But Munster’s media crew denied the article was an element on this week’s determination to disclaim entry to Lee’s first press briefing.
(Which might imply anyone obtained the incorrect finish of a stick, or a minimum of weren’t meant to say that there was a stick in any respect).
Each the IRFU and Munster said they needed to reward regulars at their press occasions.
Earlier than we proceed, it’s essential to confess that this reporter doesn’t attend each press convention.
Assets within the newspaper sport ain’t what they was once, and as such we have to field intelligent. However a press name with Lee would have been a precedence.
Secondly, we’ve made the editorial determination that we don’t need to fall right into a entice of mindlessly wandering from press convention to press convention, churning out boring banalities from a high desk briefing.
We give Munster in depth protection. We do it our personal approach. Possibly it’s not the protection they need, however it’s high quality protection nonetheless.
For the file, the Irish Mail on Sunday was the primary nationwide newspaper to interview RG Snyman after he agreed to hitch Munster. Ditto, Mike Prendergast. Now we have some pores and skin within the sport.
And if we’re awarding brownie factors for displaying the face at pressers, the IRFU has a brief reminiscence.
Two years in the past, the Leinster ladies’s crew held an open media session with entry all areas.
Factor is, just one nationwide newspaper rugby reporter bothered to show up. Yours really.
Look, this isn’t Watergate, and nothing of a lot significance rises and falls on just a few quotes from a brand new CEO.
Requested lately if Munster have been a well-run organisation, Peter O’Mahony replied bluntly: ‘No’
What’s going to matter will not be what he says, however what he does. And Munster greater than ever must start to do their speaking on the pitch.
And in the event that they need to recapture the magic of the previous, they’ll want to speak the path they’re selecting for the long run.
And in the event that they need to recapture the magic of the previous, they’ll want to speak the path they’re selecting for the long run.
This was an opportunity for break with the mediocre Flanagan period. And Munster blew it. All establishments – sporting or political – shouldn’t get to choose and select who covers them.
Requested lately if Munster have been a well-run organisation, Peter O’Mahony replied bluntly: ‘No.’
If that’s going to vary, the individuals behind the membership might want to shed their skinny skins, and begin tackling an extended and arduous to-do listing.
We’ll proceed to our job. We advise Munster begin doing theirs.
