Cullen Confirms New Contracts For Leinster Men’s Senior Coaches

At the province’s open training session in Wicklow RFC today, where the squad met with local schoolkids and supporters, Cullen revealed that Robin McBryde, Jacques Nienaber, and Tyler Bleyendaal have all signed contract extensions with Leinster until the end of the 2026/27 season.

Cullen also explained that a new position of provincial kicking coach has been created to better align the work at base in UCD with the clubs and the schools, and the player pathway.

Emmet Farrell, the former Leinster out-half and the province’s current lead performance analyst, has been appointed to that new role, and will continue as kicking coach with the Leinster senior Men’s team.

With Farrell starting his new post over the last few weeks, Brian Colclough has taken over as lead performance analyst for the reigning BKT URC champions.

Colclough has been with Leinster since the 2016/17 season. He worked with Samoa at the most recent Men’s Rugby World Cup in 2023, and was part of the Ireland Men’s backroom team for the recent summer tour to Georgia and Portugal.

Talking to LeinsterRugby.ie about the changes, Cullen said: “I think we can all appreciate the work that Robin, Jacques, and Tyler have done but also the mark that they have left and are leaving on Leinster in their time here.

“They have all brought tons of relevant experience and a different perspective to how we do things, and I think that’s hugely important for the development of our group, that we hear other voices and other ways of operating.

“It’s not just around the senior team as well, you see it with our Academy players and the work that they do visiting the clubs and the schools and giving freely of their time. I’m delighted to have them all on board again.”

The Wicklow man added: “I am also delighted for Emmet, someone who has been a key part of Leinster’s success on and off the field for more than 20 years, that he gets an opportunity to continue to grow as a coach and that others will benefit, not just ourselves based here in UCD.

“That consistency and alignment is crucial for us between what we are doing here in UCD and the brilliant work underway in our pathways and at the Ken Wall Centre of Excellence in Energia Park.

“That new role for Emmet offers an opportunity for Brian to move up and also for Juliette Fortune to move up to a more senior role in the analysis team, and I am delighted for them both.

“They both started with us an interns, and it’s brilliant to see them continue their professional journey with us at Leinster.”