James Cronin To Return Home To Coach Highfield
Munster centurion and former Ireland prop James Cronin will be coaching in the Energia All-Ireland League next season ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
James Cronin will take the reins as head coach of the Highfield senior Men’s team later this summer, as the former Ireland international returns to the club he won an All-Ireland Under-18 title with as an aspiring young player.
Cronin is a member of the Leicester Tigers squad that is on the cusp of reaching the Gallagher Premiership semi-finals. He has made 45 appearances for Tigers since joining them in 2022.
The 34-year-old prop played 143 times for Munster, also turning out on occasion for Highfield. The Cork native won three Ireland caps between 2014 and 2016, and also played for French club Biarritz Olympique before moving to Leicester.
Speaking about his move home to coach Highfield in Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 1B, Cronin said: “I am absolutely delighted to take on the role of head coach at Highfield RFC. I’m looking forward to working with the team to progress the club forward.”
Timmy Ryan, another ex-Munster prop, had a very successful six-year spell in charge of Highfield, guiding them all the way up to Division 1B. They were on course to gain promotion to the top flight until the 2019/20 season was cancelled due to Covid-19.
During Conor Quaid’s coaching reign, the ‘Field continued to knock on the door with third place finishes in both 2022 and 2023, and a promotion play-off final defeat to Shannon.
The All-Ireland League campaign just past was a difficult one for the Cork club, who showed all their battling qualities to finish just clear of the relegation play-offs. They won three of their last four matches, including an epic 43-42 final day victory at Naas.
Cronin’s former Munster team-mate, Cian Bohane, led the coaching team as Highfield retained their status in the league’s second tier, while his younger brother, number 8 Miah (pictured above), was influential as his capacity as a player-coach.
The statement from Highfield Rugby Club wishes James ‘all the best in both his playing and coaching roles for the coming season’, opening the way for the Cronin sibilings to combine again in the club’s black, red, and green colours.
Meanwhile, Highfield have also installed Kevin Leahy as their new strength & conditioning coach. The holder of the Master’s degree in Performance Science, he is an athletic development coach at Munster Rugby, working with National Talent Squad and senior players.
Leahy, who is NSCA-CSCS certified, has coached across Ireland, the USA, and Australia, including stints at IMG Academy, Sydney Grammar School, the University of Nebraska, and Michigan State University.