Rugby Ireland: Irfu confirms Paul O’Connell’s Team Backroom for the tests of Georgia and Portugal
The interim coach in Ireland Paul O’Connell will have Denis Leamy, Mike Sethergast and Colm Tucker as his coaching team for tests this summer in Georgia and Portugal.
O’Connell was confirmed as a temporary boss last weekWith Andy Farrell and Simon Easterby away with Lions.
The former Retro of Ireland Leamy has been Munster’s defense coach since 2022, while taking the attack coach of the province in the last three seasons and led Ireland “A” in the February defeat by England.
Tucker is Connacht’s Scrum Coach and also led the team during the defeat of the rugby championship last weekend in Munster in Castlebar, with the coach head Pete Wilkins on leave for illness.
All three coaches will connect with Ireland at the end of the club season. The team should be announced in mid -June.
Ireland addresses Georgia to Tbilisi on July 5 (18:00 BST) and Portugal in Lisbon on July 12 (TBC now).
The former Ireland and the British and Irish Lions captain O’Connell took over as a provisional boss after Easterby was appointed part of the Backroom team of the head of the Lions Farrell.
John Fogarty’s fray coach of the Ireland and attack coach Andrew Goodman are also on the Farrell Lions ticket.
O’Connell said he was “honored” to accept the position.
“With a dense international rugby program this summer, these two tests will offer us further opportunities to evaluate and develop competition levels within the team,” added O’Connell.
“I am excited to work with a coaching team that I know well and I am extremely motivated to offer success in Ireland and I can’t wait to implement our plans in the coming weeks.”
David Humphreys, director of Irish Rugby Football Union, says he will mark an “important step” in O’Connell’s coaching career.
“It will be assisted by Denis, Mike and Crisins that have all been in the Ireland field in several places in recent months and their selections are another positive progression in their coaching career and reaffirms the Irfu commitment to develop a path for Irish coaches,” added Humphreys.
