JOHANN VAN GRAAN and Mark McCall first met back when the now-Munster head coach was in charge of South Africa’s forwards.
The Springboks used Saracens’ training ground at St Albans during the 2015 World Cup, when McCall and van Graan had a bit of a chinwag.
These two rugby-obsessed coaches surely looked to pick each other’s brains and McCall will hope this week that he didn’t give away any secrets back in that first meeting.
Van Graan at Munster training yesterday. Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO
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That said, van Graan is one of the most diligent analysts of the game and is sure to have pored over every detail of Saracens play in recent times.
A student of the game, it seems likely that van Graan has been examining Saracens for some years, given that they have been one of the leading teams in world rugby under McCall and are widely studied.
A thirst for watching as much rugby as he can is one of the strengths van Graan brings to coaching, but there is more to this South African – enough to convince Munster and the IRFU to nail him down to an extended contract running through until 2022.
Whatever happens at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on Saturday, as Munster face McCall’s Saracens in the Heineken Champions Cup semi-finals, the southern province are certain they have the right man in charge.
“He has a lot of great attributes,” said Munster captain Peter O’Mahony yesterday. “He’s obviously very good at dealing with guys, personally, one-on-one and he’s good at dealing with the squad.
“He’s very diligent in his work, what he does. A huge work-rate and I think his adaptability, particularly with regard to what’s going on with regard to us, he’s certainly given us a lot of responsibility, which we needed to take on as a group of players.
“I think we have a good relationship between us and our leadership group, which is vital. We’re always chatting and bouncing ideas off each other and I think we’ve found a good place at the moment.
O’Mahony with van Graan. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO
“We’re working well together and enjoying the game plan that we’re implementing well at the moment. I think he’s been great.”
O’Mahony pointed out that it was particularly difficult for van Graan to come on board midway through last season after Rassie Erasmus upped sticks, but Champions Cup and Pro14 semi-finals were a creditable return at the first time of asking.
“He’s certainly taken it by the throat this year with regard to him actually doing a bit more coaching and that kind of thing, which has certainly helped,” continued O’Mahony. “He’s been great for us.”
Van Graan’s ability to build relationships is one of the aspects that attracted Munster to the former Blue Bulls assistant, with the 39-year-old famously serving as a groomsman at the weddings of a number of Springboks including Fourie du Preez and Morné Steyn.