IRFU PERFORMANCE DIRECTOR David Humphreys has said Ronan O’Gara will be in the running to take the Leinster job in 2027.
Current Leinster head coach Leo Cullen will step down from his role at the end of next season, when O’Gara’s contract as La Rochelle head coach is also due to expire.
And Humphreys, who was once O’Gara’s rival for the Ireland number 10 shirt, said the former Munster out-half will be in the frame for the Leinster position.
“I met ROG two or three months ago when La Rochelle were in Belfast, and we talked about where his coaching ambitions were,” said Humphreys in Sydney.
“He’s done what so many good coaches have done – he has gone, he has left Ireland, he has got experience throughout the world, he’s been successful. So of course, I would say he’ll be a candidate for every job that comes up in Ireland.
“And we’re in a fortunate position that we have got some really, really good Irish coaches and somebody coming into the Irish system, because it is slightly unique, it’s definitely a positive in terms of where the recruitment goes.
“But there will be a long list of very well qualified coaches, of which I would assume ROG will be one.”
Ex-Leinster out-half and assistant coach Felipe Contepomi is another name who has been mentioned in relation to succeeding Cullen. Contepomi’s current deal as Argentina head coach runs until after the 2027 World Cup.
Joe Schmidt, whose time as Wallabies boss concludes this month, has also been linked with a return to Leinster and didn’t shut that speculation down last week.
And another former Leinster coach has been suggested as a possibility to return in 2027, with Stuart Lancaster having shown his quality with Connacht this season. Lancaster’s contract in Connacht ends in 2027, although Humphreys said the IRFU is delighted with his impact in the western province.
“We brought Stuart into Connacht for a very good reason,” said Humphreys. “He’s one of the best coaches around, and you’ve seen yourself the impact that he’s made in Connacht.
“And I think that there’s huge potential down there; he’s excited by what he’s done, he’s enjoyed bringing a lot of these young players through, and now it’s about where he can take Connacht over the next few years.”
Humphreys said he has already had several conversations with Leinster’s CEO Shane Nolan and chief operating officer Guy Easterby about the appointment, which will be directly on an IRFU contract as with all the provincial head coach jobs.
“We know it’s going to be somewhat difficult with the World Cup and trying to find someone that may or may not be in international rugby,” said Humphreys of the expected timeline for confirming an appointment.
“As you’d expect with a province like Leinster, there will be no end of high-quality coaches and directors of rugby who are available and who would like the job, and then it comes down to being very clear as to what Leinster and the IRFU would like in that position.”
The three other Irish provinces now have general managers in place to lead off-pitch duties that allow the head coaches to focus more on rugby, although Humphreys said this is already the case in Leinster anyway, with Easterby performing those functions.
“We are very relaxed because Guy does a lot of the GM role and has done for the last 15 years,” said Humphreys.
“So when you’ve got a well-established, well-run, successful organisation, the titles and changing the titles is not necessary.
“But I think what will be very clear is it’ll be well-defined and making sure that the person who comes in complements what they’ve already got, but is able to, as I said earlier, make sure that we give our players and the coaches that are there, the best chance to develop and become the best that they can be.”
He does not see any great shift in the roles within Leinster, where Cullen has been more like a director of rugby, with Jacques Nienaber and previously Lancaster acting almost as the head coach on the training pitch.
“The detail behind the role probably doesn’t matter as much as making sure that we get the right person to ensure that the quality of player in Leinster gets the best experience and the best opportunity to become better players,” said Humphreys.
Nienaber has come in for criticism during his time with Leinster so far, despite helping the province to back-to-back URC titles.
There has been particular focus on whether Leinster’s defensive system makes it hard for their players to adapt when they come into Ireland camp under Andy Farrell and Simon Easterby.
David Humphreys in Sydney. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
“We’ve got a double World Cup-winning coach,” said Humphreys of Nienaber, whose Leinster contract is also due to expire in 2027.
“He is a world-class coach and for me, good players get better by having different coaches challenging them in different ways, challenging them how they play the game, challenging them how they see the game.
“And then the other challenge is for Andy to pull that all together. I don’t see it as a weakness. It’s definitely been something we’ve had to work on, but I was sitting, listening to Simon Easterby talk about our defence this morning and they’re not as different as perhaps some of the reporting would suggest.
“The principles are the same and there were a couple of issues at the weekend, but it’s the first game back with the team together, they will be better this week and they’ll be better next week.”
Humphreys also took the chance to pay a glowing tribute to Cullen for his tenure as it heads into one final season.
“The impact he’s had as a player and as a director of rugby is unbelievable,” said Humphreys.
“Yes, some people will make it all about trophies, but it’s not about that. You look at the work that he’s done, the environment that he’s created in Leinster, the club that he’s created in Leinster, the number of players that have come through the pathway to play for Ireland. And not just play for Ireland, play for Leinster, play for all the other provinces.
“So I think that he has had an unbelievable career and he will definitely be missed. And the legacy that he leaves, he will leave big shoes to fill.”
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'He'll be a candidate' - O'Gara in frame for Leinster job, says Humphreys
IRFU PERFORMANCE DIRECTOR David Humphreys has said Ronan O’Gara will be in the running to take the Leinster job in 2027.
Current Leinster head coach Leo Cullen will step down from his role at the end of next season, when O’Gara’s contract as La Rochelle head coach is also due to expire.
And Humphreys, who was once O’Gara’s rival for the Ireland number 10 shirt, said the former Munster out-half will be in the frame for the Leinster position.
“I met ROG two or three months ago when La Rochelle were in Belfast, and we talked about where his coaching ambitions were,” said Humphreys in Sydney.
“He’s done what so many good coaches have done – he has gone, he has left Ireland, he has got experience throughout the world, he’s been successful. So of course, I would say he’ll be a candidate for every job that comes up in Ireland.
“And we’re in a fortunate position that we have got some really, really good Irish coaches and somebody coming into the Irish system, because it is slightly unique, it’s definitely a positive in terms of where the recruitment goes.
“But there will be a long list of very well qualified coaches, of which I would assume ROG will be one.”
Ex-Leinster out-half and assistant coach Felipe Contepomi is another name who has been mentioned in relation to succeeding Cullen. Contepomi’s current deal as Argentina head coach runs until after the 2027 World Cup.
Joe Schmidt, whose time as Wallabies boss concludes this month, has also been linked with a return to Leinster and didn’t shut that speculation down last week.
And another former Leinster coach has been suggested as a possibility to return in 2027, with Stuart Lancaster having shown his quality with Connacht this season. Lancaster’s contract in Connacht ends in 2027, although Humphreys said the IRFU is delighted with his impact in the western province.
“We brought Stuart into Connacht for a very good reason,” said Humphreys. “He’s one of the best coaches around, and you’ve seen yourself the impact that he’s made in Connacht.
“And I think that there’s huge potential down there; he’s excited by what he’s done, he’s enjoyed bringing a lot of these young players through, and now it’s about where he can take Connacht over the next few years.”
Humphreys said he has already had several conversations with Leinster’s CEO Shane Nolan and chief operating officer Guy Easterby about the appointment, which will be directly on an IRFU contract as with all the provincial head coach jobs.
“We know it’s going to be somewhat difficult with the World Cup and trying to find someone that may or may not be in international rugby,” said Humphreys of the expected timeline for confirming an appointment.
“As you’d expect with a province like Leinster, there will be no end of high-quality coaches and directors of rugby who are available and who would like the job, and then it comes down to being very clear as to what Leinster and the IRFU would like in that position.”
The three other Irish provinces now have general managers in place to lead off-pitch duties that allow the head coaches to focus more on rugby, although Humphreys said this is already the case in Leinster anyway, with Easterby performing those functions.
“We are very relaxed because Guy does a lot of the GM role and has done for the last 15 years,” said Humphreys.
“So when you’ve got a well-established, well-run, successful organisation, the titles and changing the titles is not necessary.
“But I think what will be very clear is it’ll be well-defined and making sure that the person who comes in complements what they’ve already got, but is able to, as I said earlier, make sure that we give our players and the coaches that are there, the best chance to develop and become the best that they can be.”
He does not see any great shift in the roles within Leinster, where Cullen has been more like a director of rugby, with Jacques Nienaber and previously Lancaster acting almost as the head coach on the training pitch.
“The detail behind the role probably doesn’t matter as much as making sure that we get the right person to ensure that the quality of player in Leinster gets the best experience and the best opportunity to become better players,” said Humphreys.
Nienaber has come in for criticism during his time with Leinster so far, despite helping the province to back-to-back URC titles.
There has been particular focus on whether Leinster’s defensive system makes it hard for their players to adapt when they come into Ireland camp under Andy Farrell and Simon Easterby.
“We’ve got a double World Cup-winning coach,” said Humphreys of Nienaber, whose Leinster contract is also due to expire in 2027.
“He is a world-class coach and for me, good players get better by having different coaches challenging them in different ways, challenging them how they play the game, challenging them how they see the game.
“And then the other challenge is for Andy to pull that all together. I don’t see it as a weakness. It’s definitely been something we’ve had to work on, but I was sitting, listening to Simon Easterby talk about our defence this morning and they’re not as different as perhaps some of the reporting would suggest.
“The principles are the same and there were a couple of issues at the weekend, but it’s the first game back with the team together, they will be better this week and they’ll be better next week.”
Humphreys also took the chance to pay a glowing tribute to Cullen for his tenure as it heads into one final season.
“The impact he’s had as a player and as a director of rugby is unbelievable,” said Humphreys.
“Yes, some people will make it all about trophies, but it’s not about that. You look at the work that he’s done, the environment that he’s created in Leinster, the club that he’s created in Leinster, the number of players that have come through the pathway to play for Ireland. And not just play for Ireland, play for Leinster, play for all the other provinces.
“So I think that he has had an unbelievable career and he will definitely be missed. And the legacy that he leaves, he will leave big shoes to fill.”
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Head Coach job Leinster Leo Cullen ROG