RONAN O’GARA believes new Munster head coach Clayton McMillan “shouldn’t accept” that Peter O’Mahony is hell-bent on retiring.
The Corkman is one of three Ireland players who will hang up the international boots – the others being Conor Murray and Cian Healy.
And at the end of the current season, he and Healy will be bidding farewell to club rugby.
With Murray leaving Munster for foreign soil at the end of the season, it represents a head ache for new head coach McMillan.
The Chiefs boss will officially succeed Graham Rowntree in July.
And writing for the Irish Examiner, former Ireland and Munster out-half Ronan O’Gara urged him to try and talk O’Mahony into a U-turn.
He said: “I wonder how Clayton McMillan reacted to the news.
“That’s a lot of knowhow leaving the Munster dressing room just as he arrives to spec a three-year project.
“You could look at it two ways. Players near the end can be tough for a coach to handle.
“If they are not able to perform like they used to, you have to manage a living legend that’s dying in front of your eyes as a player.
“Depending on what your relationship is like with the guy, it’s an emotional, difficult challenge for any coach.
“Their past has to be respected and it takes a very rare player to accept that, ok, I’ve a bit-part role to play.
“That wasn’t me. I might have had that opportunity to stay on with Munster for 12 months as a club player.
“But I’m grateful I never did. You can’t remove that competitor in you, but Father Time catches everyone.
“A real leader will understand what’s best for the group.
“He’ll look in the mirror and see the truth.
“Know deep down he might only be needed every four or five matches, or whatever it is, but that he can still contribute.
“There are very few of those guys in the world, but I get a feeling Peter might just be one.
“If I was Clayton, I wouldn’t be accepting his ‘no’ just yet.
“I’d be saying, hold on, I need to speak to you.”
