CONNACHT Rugby says the changes it announced to its coaching structure this week has nothing to do with the appointment of a new Head of High Performance Coach Development at the IRFU, who just happens to be a Galway native.

With the start of the new URC season just three weeks away, the western province has announced that Pete Wilkins is taking over as head coach at the province, with Andy Friend moving to a new role as Director of Rugby.

Friend was due to enter the final year of his contract as head coach this year, having been appointed in May of 2018 on an initial three-year deal, before signing a two-year extension in January 2021.

Instead, he will now move to the new position of Director of Rugby with overall responsibility for the rugby programme across Connacht’s professional set up.

Wilkins, who had served as number two to Friend, now takes on the role of Head Coach. The London native had joined Connacht as assistant coach under Kieran Keane in 2017, and was kept on in the role when Keane was replaced by Friend a year later, before being promoted to senior coach in April of last year.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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