Munster appoint Kiwi Martyn Vercoe as new team manager
Vercoe, who most recently worked alongside Munster's new head coach, Clayton McMillan, at the Chiefs, will replace Niall O'Donovan who recently brought to an end his longtime association with the southern province.
Vercoe was also team manager for McMillan's All Blacks XV outfit that visited Munster last November.
Advertisement
He previously acted in the same role for the New Zealand U20s between 2016 to 2022 and the Tasman Makos between 2013 to 2020.
Before moving into sports management, Vercoe was a personal development manager and commercial manager at Tasman Rugby, and was also the head of faculty at Marlborough Boys' College in Blenheim, New Zealand.
Welcome, Martyn 🤝
Munster Rugby are pleased to announce the appointment of New Zealander Martyn Vercoe as the province's new Team Manager.
More info 👇#SUAF 🔴 — Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) June 30, 2025
Vercoe previously worked with Munster playing duo John Ryan and Alex Nankivell at the Chiefs.
Following an announcement by Munster regarding Vercoe's appointment this morning, the Chiefs paid tribute to Vercoe on social media, saying, 'our team manager Vercs is off to Munster to join head coach Clayton McMillan.
'Thank you for everything you have done, Vercs, you will be missed. Once a Chief, always a Chief.'
Commenting on the Super Rugby side's Instagram post, All Blacks back row Wallace Sititi, who also worked with Vercoe in Hamilton, described his departing team manager as 'one of the greats'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
2 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Rising Kerry star set for AFL visit amid signing fears
Kerry starlet Ben Murphy is set to fly to Australia this week to visit the Brisbane Lions amidst growing fears that the Kingdom are set to lose another player to the AFL. It is understood Brisbane are one of two clubs in discussions with the Austin Stacks man who has been a standout prospect for club and county in recent years. Murphy was outstanding in the U20 Munster final as Kerry cruised past Cork last April and inspired Mercy Mounthawk to a successive Corn Uí Mhuirí title in February. He was also named in the 2024 Electric Ireland GAA Minor Star Football Team of the Year. Last month, the powerful midfielder helped his club to the Kerry U-21 Football Championship with a win over St Kierans. Murphy has featured at senior level for Stacks in the County League but an injury kept him out of their opening club championship group game last weekend as the Tralee outfit overcame Templenoe. Kerry have several players Down Under currently. Milltown-Castlemaine's Cillian Burke was the latest to make the move last year when he joined Geelong. Dingle star and Premiership winner Mark O'Connor is a team-mate there. Dual player Rob Monahan is in his second year with Melbourne side Carlton Blues. In 2021, Stefan Okunbor departed Geelong and returned to the Kerry squad, although he was not part of the All-Ireland winning panel last year. All-Ireland minor winner Deividas Uosis returned in 2022 but did not return to county football. Should Murphy sign a contract, he would join as a Category B Rookie ahead of next season. The AFL is currently approaching the end of the regular season, with two rounds remaining. At the Kerry convention last year, chairman Patrick O'Sullivan urged Croke Park to form a committee to look into the number of players departing. 'Representatives of the AFL are constantly floating around Kerry minor and U20 teams over the last number of years. They come selling a professional sport to our younger players. It is hard for young players not to look at a professional career in sport,' O'Sullivan said. 'The Association has to take some action regarding the AFL's constant scrutiny of our younger stars in Ireland. Procedure will have to be put in place where players cannot be taken without contributing to the club and counties who give so much to the development of these players. 'If our younger players keep emigrating to Australia, the outlook for Kerry senior teams going forward will not be a good one. Kerry players are at the heart and soul of our county, and we, as an Association, have to figure out a method to retain and keep our players at home in Ireland. 'We in Kerry aren't the only county suffering from this issue. There are players from other counties choosing to emigrate as well. We will be calling on the GAA to form a committee to look into this matter.'
The Irish Sun
8 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Two Ireland stars overcome serious injuries to be named in Women's Rugby World Cup squad
There was only one uncapped player named in the side BACK AGAIN Two Ireland stars overcome serious injuries to be named in Women's Rugby World Cup squad AOIFE Wafer and Edel McMahon have shrugged off injuries to be named in Ireland's squad for the Women's Rugby World Cup. Inspirational No 8 Wafer was named Player of the Championship in this year's Six Nations. 2 Ireland finished third in the Six Nations after securing two away wins 2 Wafer joined Harlequins from Leinster ahead of the upcoming rugby season And while she has not featured for Ireland since suffering a knee issue in round four of the tournament, the Harlequins ace has got the nod. Flanker McMahon, who is co-captain alongside lock Sam Monaghan, missed Ireland's warm-up matches against Scotland and Canada because of a knee problem. Munster hooker Beth Buttimer is the only uncapped player in Scott Bemand's selection. Former England prop Ellena Perry has also been selected. Perry made her Ireland debut in Saturday's 47-26 loss to Canada in Belfast and is eligible through her maternal grandfather. Deirbhile Nic a Bháird misses out with Erin King, Dorothy Wall and Christy Haney injured. Ireland begin the World Cup on August 24 against Japan in Northampton and also face Spain and defending champions New Zealand in Pool C. And head coach Bemand said: 'When we qualified for the Rugby World Cup in April 2024, we knew it gave us a solid amount of time to prepare for the tournament. 'The majority of this squad have now been together since the start of June. And we are excited to finally get going.' Forwards: Claire Boles (Railway Union RFC / Ulster), Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemian / Munster),* Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC / Leinster), Eimear Corri Fallon (Blackrock RFC / Leinster), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC / Leinster), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC / Ulster) Neve Jones (Gloucester Hartpury), Ivana Kiripati (Creggs RFC / Connacht), Siobhán McCarthy (Railway Union RFC / Munster), Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC / Ulster), Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs / Connacht), Clíodhna Moloney MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs), Ireland rugby ace dressed as 'Fred Flintstone' stuns pub crowd in Mayo with stunning accordion performance on stag night Sam Monaghan (Gloucester Hartpury / IQ Rugby), Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women / IQ Rugby), Niamh O'Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC / Leinster), Ellena Perry (Gloucester Hartpury / IQ Rugby), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC / Ulster), Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC / Leinster). Backs: Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC / Munster), Amee Leigh Costigan (Railway Union RFC / Munster), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC / Leinster), Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC / Connacht), Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC / Leinster), Nicole Fowley (Galwegians / Connacht), Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC / Leinster), Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC / Munster), Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC / Connacht), Nancy McGillivray (Exeter Chiefs / IQ Rugby), Dannah O'Brien (Old Belvedere RFC / Leinster), Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC / Connacht), Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC / Connacht), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Manawatū RFC / Leinster).
Irish Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Womens Rugby World Cup - Five key pointers to Ireland's chances
Scott Bemand has chosen to go with co-captains, Sam Monaghan and Neve Jones, for the upcoming 2025 Womens Rugby World Cup being staged in England (Aug 22-Sept 27). England are considered hot favourites at 1/2 with New Zealand, Canada and France expected to make the four of those squads are professional and, consequently, under 10/1 in the betting; Ireland and Australia are next in the market at 50/ are 75/1 and it's 225/1 bar after that - demonstrating the extraordinary drop off in standard in the women's Ireland squad is back-boned by Leinster club rugby, 11 of the 14 backs and 10 of the 18 forwards play for Leinster clubs. There are a further seven players, including both co-captains, registered with English clubs. The rest comprise one apiece from Galwegians, Creggs, Cooke and NZ outfit Manuwatu. Beth Buttimer (Image: ©INPHO/Ben Brady) BETH BUTTIMER A teenager this morning but the Tipperary-born hooker will have turned 20 by the time the RWC campaign kicks there is no mistaking she has been a singular triumph for Niamh Briggs 'independent Republic of UL Bohs/Munster' who battle continually against the tide."I kinda grew up on the sideline of the pitch watching my dad and my brothers play but there was never really rugby for me around at any local club," says Buttimer."So I played hockey and football on the way up and only started rugby when I went to Rockwell in secondary school when I was 13 and played a bit of Sevens there."Then I got into a Munster squad at under-age and pushed on from there and I was capped at U18 and U20s level for Ireland."For the last two years I have been playing with the Munster senior women squad and this year I got to win an AIL with club UL Bohs and was with Clovers in the Celtic Challenge. "It's never too late, I only started when I was 13/14 and I know people who have played for Ireland who only picked the game up when they were 18 in college." Read MORE: Ireland's two RWC warm-up games featured two great and two dreadful halves DANNAH O'BRIEN The determination to get Limerick's Dannah O'Brien up-to-speed at out-half has been a feature of Ireland selection this she opened 2024/25 starting against New Zealand, Canada and played a full-half against USA at WXV1; started all five Six Nations games; and started both pre-RWC that seems like all the eggs are in the one basket for the coming tournament then so be it. Connacht veteran Nicole Fowley - who played the 'other half' against USA - ostensibly travels as back Ireland star Linday Peat wasn't the only one surprised O'Brien was given so much time at no10 and had suggested Enya Breen get some game there in the warm-ups. Neither Ulster out-half Abby Moyles nor Munster no10 Kate Flannery have made the squad. Irish Superwomen! Leona Maguire, Edel Thornton, Ayeisha McFerran, Courtney Brosnan, Rhasidat Adeleke and now rugby's Ivana Kiripati READ MORE: Irish Superwomen! Leona Maguire, Edel Thornton, Ayeisha McFerran, Courtney Brosnan, Rhasidat Adeleke and now rugby's Ivana Kiripati PARACHUTISTS Elle Perry, Nancy McGillivray and Ivana Kipriati will travel to RWC 2025 with just one Ireland cap Perry, 28, was born in Welwyn Garden City and played for Saracens (2015-19) before joining her current club Gloucester Hartpury. She represented England 11 times between 2018-20; eligible through her maternal grandmother, Perry's first cap came last Saturday when used from the bench against McGillvray was born in London and learned to play rugby in Hong Kong for whom she represented at U18 and was a member of their wider senior panel. Her father is Irish and she switched her allegiance to Ireland earlier this Kiripati was born in New Zealand but raised in Dysart, Roscommon, and Athlone and has played for Buccaneers and has missed out on squad inclusion here as she was studying in the US at the American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts. Head Coach Bemand has said that as her exams ran concurrent with the Six Nations window she was not considered while away. Kiripati finished college this year. I Aoife Wafer (Image: ©INPHO/Ben Brady) AOIFE WAFER Ireland rugby fans will be hoping for big things from back-row powerhouse Aoife Wafer who may well be one of the best female rugby players on the Wexford native was voted the 2025 Six Nations Player of the Championship ahead of three other nominees - France second-row Manae Feleu, England winger Abby Dowe and Scotland no8 Evie was announced afterwards that Wafer had signed for English Premier side Harlequins ahead of next season although she is listed by the IRFU as Blackrock/ was some surprise when Wafer failed to pick up even a nomination at the equivalent Ireland and the Leinster player of the year awards. Aoife Dalton (who won), Amee Leigh Costigan, Niamh O'Dowd and Dorothy Wall were the nominated IRUPA quartet; while Linda Djougang took the Leinster award for which Wafer wasn't nominated either. FIXTURES This 2025 RWC has 16 competing nations for the first time in history, initially divided into four pools of upshot is world-ranked three New Zealand and world-ranked six Ireland are not expected to break stride beating the eleventh and thirteenth, Japan and Spain, first two weeks could well be an opportunity to rotate which should make for all 32 players being capped in advance of the team being named for the Black Ferns are in Pool C who's winner will meet the Pool D runners-up; the Pool C runners-up meet the Pool D winners. France and Italy are expected to finish one-two in Pool D,Ireland v Japan, Franklin's Gardens, Northampton, Sunday, 24 August, 12pmIreland v Spain, Franklin's Gardens, Northampton, Sunday, 31 August, 12pmIreland v New Zealand, Brighton and Hove Albion Stadium, Brighton, Sunday, 7 September, 2.45pm. Ireland Women's Rugby World Cup 2025, England, Squad - *Denotes uncapped BACK-THREE: Amee Leigh Costigan (Railway Union RFC / Munster) (19), Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC / Connacht) (14), Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC / Leinster) (20), Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC / Connacht) (11), Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC / Connacht) (28)CENTRE: Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC / Munster) (31), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC / Leinster) (24), Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC / Leinster) (28), Nancy McGillivray (Exeter Chiefs / IQ Rugby) (1)HALF-BACKS: Dannah O'Brien (Old Belvedere RFC / Leinster) (26), Nicole Fowley (Galwegians / Connacht) (14); Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC / Munster) (17), Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC / Connacht) (16), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Manawatū RFC / Leinster) (22)FRONT-ROW: Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemian / Munster)*, Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC / Leinster) (48), Neve Jones (Gloucester Hartpury) (37), Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC / Ulster) (16), Niamh O'Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC / Leinster) (17), Clíodhna Moloney MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs) (45), Ellena 'Elle' Perry (Gloucester Hartpury / IQ Rugby) (1),SECOND-ROW: Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC / Leinster) (8), Eimear Corri Fallon (Blackrock RFC / Leinster) (6), Siobhán McCarthy (Railway Union RFC / Munster) (9), Sam Monaghan (Gloucester Hartpury / IQ Rugby) (23) Co-Capt, , Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC / Ulster) (17) BACK-ROW: Claire Boles (Railway Union RFC / Ulster) (6), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC / Ulster) (34), Ivana Kiripati (Creggs RFC / Connacht) (2), Edel 'Tricky' McMahon (Exeter Chiefs / Connacht) (34) Co-Capt, Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women / IQ Rugby) (22), Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC / Leinster) (15) Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts.
