Kidney And McNaughton To Travel Down Under
New Ireland coach Declan Kidney and newly appointed team manager Paul McNaughton will travel to New Zealand and Australia to watch Ireland play during their two-match summer tour.
Both Declan Kidney and Paul McNaughton will be there in a purely observational role to watch the Ireland squad perform in the games in Wellington and Melbourne.
They will also use the visit to gain first hand knowledge of the implementation of the new Experimental Law Variations (ELVs).
Kidney and McNaughton plan to meet with several Super 14 coaches to review the new laws and their effects on the game ahead of the introduction of a selection of the ELVs for next season in the Northern Hemisphere.
McNaughton said: “Both Declan and I felt that the tour was an opportunity to take to coaches who had first hand experience with regard to the ELVs, ahead of our matches in November which will be played under the new variations.
“It also very importantly allows us to watch the Ireland squad play in both of their games from an external viewpoint and to get a good look at the players in what will be two very testing games against quality teams.”