Representative Management Teams For International Season
The Irish Rugby Football Union has confirmed the coaching and management positions for representative teams for the coming international season, including the Ireland ‘A’, Ireland Women, Ireland Under-20 and other age grade sides.
Connacht coach Michael Bradley will again take charge of the Ireland ‘A’ side for the season, with their first fixtures coming against the full Tonga side in Belfast (November 13) and Argentina Jaguares at Tallaght Stadium (November 27).
The ‘A’ team will also play fixtures against the England Saxons and Scotland ‘A’ next year and will be managed by the experienced Joey Miles.
The Ireland Women’s team will again be managed by Rachael Reid but they have a new head coach this season in Kevin West as they begin to build upon last season’s ground breaking RBS Women’s 6 Nations Championship campaign.
The girls in green qualified outright for the 2010 Women’s World Cup courtesy of their third place finish in the Championship and will be looking to maintain their progress.
As part of the IRFU High Performance Pathway, Allen Clarke will continue to coach the Ireland Under-20 side along side new manager Michael Kearney.
Clarke will also be working with the Ireland Under-19 side, which will contain both Schools and club players, in one of their fixtures against a touring Australian Under-19 team.
The Ireland Under-19 Schools side will also play against the visiting Australians and will be under the guidance of Terry McMaster. Both of the U-19 teams will be under the management of former Ireland Schools team manager Barney McGonigle.
To ensure continuity, McMaster will also be coaching the Ireland Under-18 Schools team alongside former internationals Kenny Hooks and Gabriel Fulcher.
The Ireland Under-18 Clubs side, which has been runners-up at the FIRA/AER Championship in two out of the last three years, will also see continuity in their management with Greg Lynch coaching the side and Willie Gribben managing.
The management for the AIB Club International team, which gives club players the opportunity to represent Ireland and which is scheduled to play fixtures against England away (February 26) and Scotland at home (March 19), will be announced at a later date.
IRELAND REPRESENTATIVE MANAGEMENT TEAMS – 2009/10 SEASON:
Ireland ‘A’:
Michael Bradley – Coach
Joey Miles – Manager
Ireland Women:
Kevin West – Coach
Rachael Reid – Manager
Ireland Under-20:
Allen Clarke – Coach
Michael Kearney – Manager
Nigel Carolan – Assistant Coach
Colin McEntee – Assistant Coach
Ireland Under-19:
Allen Clarke – Coach (Ireland U-19 v Australia U-19)
Assisted by Colin McEntee and Johnny Bell
Terry McMaster – Coach (Ireland U-19 Schools v Australia U-19 Schools)
Assisted by Bobby Byrne
Barney McGonigle – Manager
Ireland Under-18 Clubs:
Greg Lynch – Coach
Willie Gribben – Manager
Ireland Under-18 Schools:
Terry McMaster – Coach
Lorcan Balfe – Manager
Kenny Hooks – Assistant Coach
Gabriel Fulcher – Assistant Coach