-
-
Author: Our Reporter
~ 3 minutes read
By John Fallon
Pete Wilkins, as expected, has been appointed to take charge of Connacht from next season in succession to Andy Friend.
He will become the province’s tenth boss in the professional era, having joined Connacht in 2017 as an assistant coach to Kieran Keane during the New Zealander’s sole season in charge.
The 43-years-old English native continued as an assistant coach during Andy Friend’s opening four seasons at the Sportsground and last summer, after being part of Andy Farrell’s Irish coaching ticket on the historic tour of New Zealand, was promoted to head coach after Friend was appointed Connacht director of rugby.
Wilkins will now continue as Connacht head coach for three years, starting in the summer with the director rugby role being dispensed with when Friend leaves at the end of the season.
Wilkins will become the first Englishman to take charge of Connacht. There have been three Irish coaches (Eddie O’Sullivan, Michael Bradley and Eric Elwood), four from New Zealand (Warren Gatland, Glenn Ross, Pat Lam and Kieran Keane), along with Steph Nel from South Africa, and Australian native, Friend.
Wilkins, who was previously assistant coach with the Queensland Reds in Australia where he also held various other community and development roles, also had a stint as assistant coach with Edinburgh.
Wilkins and scrum and contact coach Colm Tucker look like being the only ones of the current coaching ticket to remain. Aside from Friend, attack and skills coach Mossy Lawler is returning to his native Munster; while South African Dewald Senekal, the forwards coach, is reported to be taking up a similar role in France with ProD2 leaders Oyonnax in the summer.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune:
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
More like this:
Galway Sexual Violence Services to get €400,000 funding boost
Galway’s Sexual Violence Services are to get a funding boost of 400 thousand euro Galway Ra...
UG appoints its 12th librarian in its history
Monica Crump has been appointed the 12th Librarian in the University of Galway’s history da...
Peace Flag raised by Mayor Hoare in Eyre Square
The Mayor of Galway Eddie Hoare has raised a Peace Flag in Eyre Square A motion on this action wa...
€200,000 for 7 outdoor projects across Galway
Funding of almost €200 thousand has been awarded for 7 outdoor projects across Galway. It’l...
Oranmore Primary Care Centre could be back to square one after five years of development
It looks like a long-stalled Primary Care Centre in Oranmore could be back to square one – ...
Multi-million euro project at UG to probe influence of technology on time
A new multi-million euro project at University of Galway is set to explore the influence of techn...
Four early morning arrests in Rosscahill arson investigation
Four people have been arrested as part of the investigation into a fire in Rosscahill just before...
Galway-based space tech company Mbryonics gets 17.5 million euro in European funding
Galway-based space tech company Mbryonics has been awarded 17.5 million euro in European funding ...
New mosaic celebrating science of the brain unveiled at Ballybane Library
A new mosaic celebrating the science of the brain has been unveiled at Ballybane Library The mosa...