FELIX Jones is an ideal choice to step into the shoes of Graham Rowntree as head coach of Munster, according to lead pundit Bernard Jackman.
The club is in search of a replacement since Rowntree who left the position earlier in the week. Director of Operations Ian Costello has taken over in the interim, and he himself is likely to be a contender for the role on a full-time basis.
Jones, a former full-back with The Reds, departed in 2019 to join Rassie Erasmus’s coaching ticket at South Africa, helping the Springboks win back-to-back World Cups, before moving to England at the start of this year.
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.
Speaking on this week’s RTÉ Rugby podcast, Jackman believed Jones has to be at the top of Munster’s list.
“I think he’d be a great choice,” Jackman said.
“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.”
He added: “If they want Felix, 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.”
