Munster have been mired in mediocrity for a long, long time.The entire operation has been blighted by controversy. Roger Randle, redundancies, a revolving door of coaches, dwindling attendances, legends of the club going in studs up. We could go on…So, this week’s announcement of Avan Lee as the province’s interim CEO represented something of a reboot. A clean slate. A chance to start afresh.Lee looks a shrewd appointment. Impressively, he fronted up to the media earlier this week. For the record, the New Zealander doesn’t officially begin his role until October 21.Ian Flanagan, his embattled predecessor, was infamously reticent when it came to facing the media during his difficult seven-year reign. So, Lee has credit in the bank already.The issue we have is that the IRFU and Munster communications teams thought it prudent to only invite five media titles (The Irish Times, Irish Independent, Irish Examiner, the42 and RTE) onto an early-morning conference call with Lee on Wednesday.Why all the secrecy? Not the best start on the PR front is it? Munster, to their credit, made a smart hire. Avan Lee looks like a shrewd appointment for the provinceThey should have been shouting it from the rooftops. Instead, they invited a handful of journalists into conclave. Other than the Mail, among other journalists excluded was the two-time, back-to-back sports writer of the year, Derek Foley. (As in One F in the Ross O’Carroll Kelly universe).It seemed a strange situation so naturally, we followed up with the IRFU and Munster comms teams the following day.Aoife Clarke, the IRFU’s Director of Communications, informed me that they wanted to start on the ‘front foot’. Aoife Clarke, the IRFU’s Director of Communications, informed me that they wanted to start on the ‘front foot’Strangely, Clarke, unprompted, brought up a recent feature on the state of rugby in Waterford and how Munster were none-too-pleased with aspects of the article.They’re still narky about the 100% accurate headline stating that the province hadn’t trained in the county for 15 years it seems. Yet Munster’s media team denied the article was a factor in this week’s decision to deny access to Lee’s first press briefing.(Which would mean somebody got the wrong end of a stick, or at least weren’t meant to mention that there was a stick at all).Both the IRFU and Munster stated they wanted to reward regulars at their press events.Before we continue, it’s important to admit that this reporter doesn’t attend every press conference. Resources in the newspaper game ain’t what they used to be, and as such we need to box clever. But a press call with Lee would have been a priority.Secondly, we’ve made the editorial decision that we don’t want to fall into a trap of mindlessly wandering from press conference to press conference, churning out dull banalities from a top table briefing.We give Munster extensive coverage. We do it our own way. Maybe it’s not the coverage they want, but it’s quality coverage nonetheless. For the record, the Irish Mail on Sunday was the first national newspaper to interview RG Snyman after he agreed to join Munster. Ditto, Mike Prendergast. We have some skin in the game.And if we’re awarding brownie points for showing the face at pressers, the IRFU has a short memory. Two years ago, the Leinster women’s team held an open media session with access all areas. Thing is, only one national newspaper rugby reporter bothered to turn up. Yours truly.Look, this isn’t Watergate, and nothing of much significance rises and falls on a few quotes from a new CEO. Asked recently if Munster were a well-run organisation, Peter O’Mahony replied bluntly: ‘No’What will matter is not what he says, but what he does. And Munster more than ever will have to begin to do their talking on the pitch. And if they want to recapture the magic of the past, they are going to need to communicate the direction they are choosing for the future.And if they want to recapture the magic of the past, they are going to need to communicate the direction they are choosing for the future.This was a chance for break with the mediocre Flanagan era. And Munster blew it. All institutions – sporting or political – shouldn’t get to pick and choose who covers them.Asked recently if Munster were a well-run organisation, Peter O’Mahony replied bluntly: ‘No.’If that’s going to change, the people behind the club will need to shed their thin skins, and start tackling a long and arduous to-do list.We will continue to our job. We suggest Munster start doing theirs.