The already uphill task of rebuilding Munster this summer has become even steeper as it has emerged that Doug Howlett will leave the province.
Munster had already confirmed the departures of assistant coaches Jerry Flannery and Felix Jones but now the Sunday Times have revealed that Howlett will follow that pair out the door as the Kiwi plans to return to New Zealand for family reasons.
The news comes fresh from Munster's devastating defeat to Leinster on Saturday afternoon, which shed a light on the challenge that will be faced by Johann van Graan over the coming months.
Howlett, a former Munster winger who pivoted into a role as the province's head of commercial and marketing after hanging up his boots, recently joined the Cork hurlers' backroom team as a high performance expert but his position with John Meyler's side did not affect his responsibilities for Munster.
The province's head coach, Van Graan, is well aware of the challenging recruitment process that awaits him and the Munster higher-ups.
"Hopefully we will find the right people who will fit into Munster, and make us a better team. Like I said, September 28 is a long time away, although time flies quickly," Van Graan said after Saturday's defeat, referencing the start of next season's PRO14.
"So we’ll take our time, try and find the right people, and then move forward."
