Ryan Bailey reports from Kingspan Stadium
IRELAND WOMEN’S HEAD coach Tom Tierney has stepped down from his position following his side’s World Cup defeat to Wales this afternoon.
Tierney’s three-year contract with the IRFU expires at the end of this year but he said he will not seek another term in charge of the team.
“Very very pleased with my 3 years, it’s onto something else now,” he said post-match in Belfast.
A 27-17 loss to Wales was Ireland’s third consecutive defeat of this tournament with the hosts’ bitterly disappointing campaign on home soil ending with an eighth-placed finish.
Today’s result also means Ireland have failed to secure automatic qualification for the next World Cup.
Tierney, capped eight times by Ireland during his playing career, took over from Philip Doyle in December 2014 and presided over three Six Nations campaign as well as this home World Cup.
In his post-match press conference, the Limerick native confirmed he would remain in rugby coaching but refused to comment on whether he will take on the Ireland U19s role as has been speculated.
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