It's been almost a year since Johann van Graan said a tearful goodbye in the city of love to his beloved Springboks.
Fifty weeks later the former Springbok assistant coach could not be happier. His first year in charge of Munster has come with the distinct highs and lows invaluable in shaping a young head coach's career.
THE TIMING WAS RIGHT
"I enjoyed my time at the Springboks. After the Test in Paris, I said farewell with a heavy heart. I had an amazing bond with the players," said Van Graan, whose team played the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein yesterday.
"At some point you have to make that step to becoming a head coach. I felt it was the right time to move on. To spread my wings. I'm very happy with my decision.
"I have enjoyed every moment. It is a tough learning school in Europe. You play in two competitions at the same time. There aren't easy games."
Van Graan says the timing was right although he didn't always believe he should bide his time.
"In 2011 at the Bulls I was in a hurry to become a head coach. I was only 31 and I had been coach at the Bulls in the professional setup for eight years.
"My time at the Boks gave me a lot of perspective about life as a coach. I believe before you can become a head coach you have to be a very good assistant coach. For 15 years in different roles I assisted different head coaches. I always had an opinion irrespective what the head coach decided in the end. It's his choice and you back it."
He believes the sheer variety of what he faces every week presents a greater challenge than coaching here. "Every game in the Champions Cup is like a Test," he noted.
BEING PART OF THE BRAVE AND FAITHFUL
Arriving at a club with so much tradition, he understood the importance of fitting in at a club with deeply knowledgeable rugby folk. "What makes Munster Munster is the way the supporters buy into the team. All they want to see is the team leave their hearts on the field, win or lose. The brilliant thing about them is that they realise you will not win every game week after week but they want to see you put in the effort.
"It is about putting up a fight every week. We have mottos 'stand up and fight' and 'to the brave and faithful nothing is impossible'.
"That's why I went, for the challenge and the need to grow. To be part of something that is so much bigger than myself."
Van Graan also accepts that the team needs to improve on last year when they came up short in both semifinals. "We did well, but we want to take that next step."
To that end, their unlikely draw at Exeter will help steel them for the road ahead.
As much as he has immersed himself in his new challenge, Van Graan still keeps an eye on what happens here.
"Rassie (Erasmus, the Springbok coach) has done incredibly well with the structures," he said. "He tightened up everything. There is also a lot more cooperation between the national team and the provinces. Allister (Coetzee) and Heyneke (Meyer) contributed to that.
"When SA goes to the World Cup next year they'll definitely have a chance of winning.
"The challenge is to keep South African players and coaches. If they leave we have to get them back."..