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Irish Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Gerry Thornley: Stuart Lancaster quite the coup for Connacht and IRFU
Connacht have had plenty of fine coaches in their time, Warren Gatland, Pat Lam and Andy Friend among them, but no appointment will ever have grabbed wider attention and generated such excitement among the province's players and supporters alike as much as Stuart Lancaster . First and foremost, securing Lancaster as Connacht's next head coach is a coup for the IRFU and their performance director David Humphreys , as well as a clear statement of the province's ambition. After all, Lancaster brings a wealth of experience from his four years as England head coach, seven seasons as Leinster senior coach and year-and-a-half as head coach of Racing 92. Furthermore, so well regarded is he that Lancaster was recently shortlisted and strongly considered by the Australian Rugby Union as the next Wallabies head coach, prompting him to be critical of the process. Clearly therefore, Connacht and the IRFU satisfied Lancaster with their ambition and vision for the immediate future, and presumably the prospect of the Dexcom Stadium's revamp into a 12,000-capacity ground would have been part of the appeal. READ MORE Munster's shootout defeat - the dark arts in rugby, yay or nay? Listen | 28:05 Word is that the anticipated unveiling of the new stand will be at the Connacht v Leinster URC game on Saturday, January 24th. This will be the return fixture after Leinster host Connacht on January 3rd, games which certainly will now have a new intrigue. Lancaster's arrival out west is also a timely fillip after a difficult and anticlimactic campaign which saw Connacht finish 13th in the URC table – two places lower than the previous season – and lose out on a home semi-final in the Challenge Cup when beaten in the quarter-finals in Galway by Racing. Connacht's squad is capable of better than that but didn't help themselves by conceding points in flurries only to start playing to their potential when well behind on the scoreboard. There were mitigating factors, not least playing in front of an empty building site which previously housed the Clan Terrace, as well as the coaching upheaval which saw Pete Wilkins take sick leave and then ultimately depart before Benetton announced his appointment as their new attack coach within a month. With Mark Sexton and Scott Fardy also set to depart as the respective attack and defence coaches, Collie Tucker assumed the head coaching role on an interim basis. Tucker will remain as scrum and contact coach, while Lancaster will also oversee defence alongside new attack coach Rod Seib, and lineout and maul coach John Muldoon. Admittedly this ticket does seem a little cobbled together seeing as Seib was hired initially to work under Wilkins and it's noticeable that Lancaster has only signed a two-year deal. Still, his appointment will be well received, not least as his teams play a brand of rugby that has become synonymous with Connacht since Lam's days. James Lowe and Stuart Lancaster during his time as Leinster's senior coach. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho The 55-year-old has a well-deserved reputation for developing talented young players from his time with Leeds Tykes, the RFU and in his four seasons as England's head coach, when they finished second in four successive Six Nations before being eliminated as hosts at the 2015 World Cup in a pool featuring Wales and Australia. Lancaster returned to more of a hands-on coaching role with Leinster after their particularly difficult 2014-15 campaign when losing five of their six European pool matches and the Pro12 final to Connacht in Edinburgh. He helped to harness their multiphase, high-tempo game during what the players dubbed 'Stuesdays' as their production line of internationals went into overdrive. Leinster also reached four Champions Cup finals, winning the 2018 decider against Racing, and won four Pro14 titles in a row. This made him highly coveted but the move to Racing 92 never felt right, not least because he spoke little or no French and the Top 14 is a relatively cut-throat place for imported coaches. Even Michael Cheika, in between guiding Leinster and the Waratahs to breakthrough Champions Cup and Super Rugby successes, was the victim of a very French coup after just two seasons with Stade Francais in 2012. But Cheika lasted longer than the short-lived tenures of Rory Teague at Bordeaux Bègles, Mike Ford at Toulon and Richard Cockerill at Montpellier, when fired just seven games into last season's campaign after six straight defeats. Having finished fifth and reached the French championship semi-finals in the 2022/23 season, under Lancaster they finished sixth and lost 31-17 away to Bordeaux Bègles in 'le barrage' last season. But, in early February, the club and Lancaster parted ways with Racing 12th and outside both the playoffs and Champions Cup qualification. But this means Connacht have hired a hungry coach determined to prove himself again and who has an innate understanding of the Irish set-up as well as a genuine fondness for it. A couple of weeks ago, Lancaster revealed on Off The Ball that he and his wife Nina had been to Galway in mid-April to watch a Racing team featuring their son Dan beat Connacht 43-40, prompting them to think, as he put it: 'Oh God, we miss Ireland.' Unhesitatingly, Lancaster also admitted he would be interested in returning – 'I wouldn't rule out coming back at all' – and reflected on his seven seasons with Leinster as 'the best time of my career'. As in life, some coaches are just a better fit in some countries than others. Connacht will hope that one day Lancaster will reflect just as fondly on his time with them.
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Stuart Lancaster appointed head coach of Connacht
Stuart Lancaster has been announced as the new head coach of Connacht. Lancaster takes over from Pete Wilkins, who left the province in April, and will take over from the start of next season, having signed a two-year contract. Advertisement Lancaster most recently served as Head Coach of Racing 92 in France, and before then enjoyed a hugely successful seven-year spell as Senior Coach of Leinster. He helped lead Leinster to four consecutive PRO14 titles and four Champions Cup finals, including victory in the 2018 decider. As Head Coach, Lancaster will also have responsibility for defence, thereby completing next season's coaching team. Joining him will be new attack coach Rod Seib, scrum & contact coach Cullie Tucker, and lineout & maul coach John Muldoon. Commenting on today's announcement, Stuart Lancaster says: 'I'm hugely excited to be joining Connacht Rugby and begin this new chapter of my life in the West of Ireland with my wife Nina. Connacht is a club with a proud identity, a passionate supporter base, and enormous potential both on and off the field, so I'm honoured and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead the Professional Men's team programme. Advertisement "I'm a firm believer in creating an environment that enables players to thrive and realise their potential, while playing a brand of rugby that inspires the community of which they represent. "Ever since my initial conversations with Willie, David and the rest of the selection committee, it's clear that same belief exists here in Connacht, and that's why I'm so excited by this opportunity. "There's also the fantastic new facilities here at the new High-Performance Centre and Dexcom Stadium, which will further enable us to realise those goals. "I'm looking forward to working closely with all of the staff and players, and I can't wait to get to know the supporters and wider community over the coming weeks and months.'
Irish Times
3 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Stuart Lancaster announced as new Connacht head coach
Connacht Rugby has confirmed Staurt Lancaster as the province's new head coach. Lancaster has signed a two-year deal with the western province and arrives in Connacht following a seven-year stint as senior coach with Leinster before becoming head coach of French side Racing 92. Before his time with Leinster, Lancaster was England head coach for four Six Nations campaigns and their home Rugby World Cup in 2015. Lancaster's appointment comes after Pete Wilkins stepped down as Connacht head coach in April. READ MORE Lancaster will also take charge of Connacht's defence, with Rod Seib (attack), Cullie Tucker (scrum & contact) and John Muldoon (lineout & maul) rounding out the province's coaching ticket. 'I'm hugely excited to be joining Connacht Rugby and begin this new chapter of my life in the West of Ireland with my wife Nina,' Lancaster said in a statement released by the province on Tuesday morning. 'Connacht is a club with a proud identity, a passionate supporter base, and enormous potential both on and off the field, so I'm honoured and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead the Professional Men's team programme. 'I'm a firm believer in creating an environment that enables players to thrive and realise their potential, while playing a brand of rugby that inspires the community of which they represent. 'Ever since my initial conversations with Willie (Ruane, Connacht Rugby CEO), David (Humphreys, IRFU performance director) and the rest of the selection committee, it's clear that same belief exists here in Connacht, and that's why I'm so excited by this opportunity.' He added: 'I'm looking forward to working closely with all of the staff and players, and I can't wait to get to know the supporters and wider community over the coming weeks and months.'
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Stuart Lancaster returns to Ireland as former England coach's new job revealed
Connacht have appointed Stuart Lancaster as their new head coach as the former England head coach returns to Ireland after his Racing 92 sacking. Lancaster, who oversaw England from 2012 through to the home Rugby World Cup group-stage exit in 2015, parted ways with the French capital club earlier this year after a difficult season-and-a-half in Paris. The 55-year-old has since been linked with a number of jobs, including Leicester Tigers and Australia, but has now taken up a role in Galway as the permanent successor to Pete Wilkins. Lancaster is highly familiar with the Irish rugby structure after spending seven successful seasons at Leinster rugby, a period in which the Dublin club won the Champions Cup and four Pro 14 titles. 'I'm hugely excited to be joining Connacht Rugby and begin this new chapter of my life in the West of Ireland with my wife Nina,' Lancaster, who has signed a two-year deal, said. 'Connacht is a club with a proud identity, a passionate supporter base, and enormous potential both on and off the field, so I'm honoured and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead the professional men's team programme. 'I'm a firm believer in creating an environment that enables players to thrive and realise their potential, while playing a brand of rugby that inspires the community of which they represent. Ever since my initial conversations with Willie, David and the rest of the selection committee, it's clear that same belief exists here in Connacht, and that's why I'm so excited by this opportunity. I'm looking forward to working closely with all of the staff and players, and I can't wait to get to know the supporters and wider community over the coming weeks and months.' A tough tenure in the Top 14 saw Lancaster reportedly clash with Racing's hierarchy and struggle to get the best out of a star-studded squad. He remains highly-rated in coaching circles for his stint at Leinster and the work in developing a generation of England talent, even if his tenure with the national team ended in tournament disaster in 2015. Lancaster's staff in Galway will include John Muldoon, Connacht's record appearance-maker, and attack coach Rod Seib, who has joined from the Brumbies in Australia. Wilkins stepped down after the Challenge Cup exit in April and has since been appointed attack coach with fellow United Rugby Championship club Benetton in Treviso.
Irish Independent
13-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Summerhill College team are financial quiz winners
This year's Money Smarts Challenge saw over 1,700 students from 420 school teams across Ireland take part in four virtual events held on March 25th and 26th, with the Summerhill College team of Daniel Rattigan, Jamie O'Hara, Brian Healy and Thibaud Gerard claiming the €2,000 first prize for their school. The four victorious Summerhill College students, along with their teacher Dervilla Casey, were recently presented with their prizes at their school by Connacht Rugby stars Temi Lasisi, Shane Mallon and Colm Reilly. There were four winning schools in total as part of this year's Money Smarts Challenge, along with four runners up and four third-place teams in each of the four virtual events. The Bank of Ireland Money Smarts Challenge is now in its 7th year. Money Smarts is Bank of Ireland's free financial literacy programme for 2nd Level students, with an all-Ireland financial literacy quiz at the centre of the programme. The quiz is designed to help students learn about managing their finances and develop good Financial Wellbeing habits. Commenting on the Money Smarts Quiz Challenge, Rory Carty, Head of Customer Segments Bank of Ireland said: 'The importance of children and young adults learning about finances and savvy money habits cannot be over-emphasised, with Bank of Ireland's latest Financial Wellbeing Index revealing a decline in the Financial Literacy score amongst the youngest cohort surveyed. 'We know that teachers see the benefits of the Money Smarts programme, with over 600,000 students having taken part in a range of initiatives since 2017, helping ensure young people can make smart financial decisions and better manage their money.' I'd like to congratulate the winning team and teacher from Summerhill College on their victory in the 2025 Money Smarts Challenge. And I also want to acknowledge the hard work and commitment of all the teachers and students across the country who took part in this year's Money Smarts Challenge, enhancing their financial literacy skills for the future.'
