A Super Rugby boss lands in Limerick
Munster have their man. The province and the IRFU confirmed on Wednesday that Avan Lee will take over as interim chief executive, with the New Zealander due to start at the end of October.
Lee ran the Hurricanes for a decade, from 2015 to 2025, one of the biggest franchises in Super Rugby. That spell covered rugby administration, governance, commercial development and high-performance management, the exact mix a province under scrutiny needs right now.
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Out with Flanagan, in with an outsider
Lee replaces Ian Flanagan, who steps down at the end of October. Flanagan has been in the job since 2019 and spent recent months facing criticism over governance at the Irish province. The handover, then, is not a routine changing of the guard.
Munster chairperson Ger Malone said Lee “impressed the board with both the breadth of his rugby experience and his clear understanding of the opportunities and challenges.” Lee himself kept the message simple: “If we unite behind a shared ambition and a commitment to excellence, I am confident Munster Rugby can achieve great things.”
IRFU chief executive Kevin Potts said the appointment would deliver “a positive impact during this important period for the province.” The word that matters there is interim. Lee arrives to steady the ship, and what comes after him is still an open question.
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