Update | The Independent Governance & Organisational Review of Munster Rugby

The Independent Governance and Organisational Review of Munster Rugby

Issued by Martin Kelleher, Independent Chair of the Review

20th July 2026: The Independent Governance and Organisational Review of Munster Rugby is underway and progressing. As part of that work, confidential surveys will issue to a range of Munster Rugby stakeholders in the near term. The Board of Munster Rugby has commissioned the Review to assess whether the organisation’s governance, leadership, culture, engagement and communication, organisational and operational arrangements are appropriate and effective.

The Review is forward looking in nature. It is not an investigation, a disciplinary process or a fault-finding exercise, and it does not seek to attribute blame to individuals. Its purpose is to support learning and reform, to strengthen governance, accountability and decision making, and to position Munster Rugby for long term sustainability.

The Review is the responsibility of the independent Chair, Martin Kelleher, and a Board appointed Steering Group. It is being conducted by The Governance Company, an independent consultancy specialising in corporate governance, led by David W. Duffy.

The Chair is independent of Munster Rugby and holds no conflict of interest that could compromise objectivity. The Chair and the Steering Group report independently to the Board. The conduct of the Review, its methodology, its evidence and its conclusions are matters for the Chair, the Steering Group and the Reviewer, and not for the executive or management of Munster Rugby.

As part of the Review, the views of key internal and external stakeholders are being sought. This includes playing and non-playing staff, and a broad range of others with a direct interest in how Munster Rugby is governed and run. The review is taking place with the full support of the IRFU. Engagement is being conducted through structured interviews and confidential surveys, alongside a review of documentation and benchmarking against good practice.

Confidentiality is a fundamental part of the process. It encourages honest participation, protects the privacy of those taking part, and preserves the integrity and fairness of the Review. Individual contributions will not be disclosed. The interest of the Review is in the themes and the evidence that emerge.

Martin Kelleher, Independent Chair of the Review, said: “The Review is independent, it is structured, and it is underway. We are hearing directly from those who know this organisation best, including staff across the province, and in the coming weeks we will be asking a wider group of stakeholders for their views. We are doing so in a way that allows people to speak freely and in confidence.

“While there is understandable interest in this process, a review of this kind is not undertaken in public. It is conducted through evidence, and evidence takes the time it takes. We will not shorten that work to meet a deadline, nor will we let it drift. When we have concluded, we will report our findings and recommendations to the Board. I firmly believe there is an appetite from the Board for change and transformational improvements in the short and longer term and this review will be the foundation for that change”

The Reviewer will provide a report setting out findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with an executive summary suitable for wider stakeholder communication. The Board will formally consider the findings and is responsible for determining and implementing the actions arising.

The Review will not comment on its emerging findings while its work is ongoing. No further detail on the process will be provided at this stage, in order to protect the confidentiality of participants and the integrity of the work.