THE IRFU HAVE today announced Colin McEntee as their new high performance manager.
The position within the union has been vacant through the summer following Allen Clarke’s decision to step away from the role in favour of a position with the Ulster academy.
McEntee has been the academy manager at Leinster for the past eight years with Jamie Heaslip, Rob Kearney, Fergus McFadden and Cian Healy among those who have gone on to become full internationals on his watch.
“His understanding on the finer details of individual player development and the co-ordination and management of an elite player system was a key factor to what was felt he would bring to the role.” Said IRFU director of rugby, Eddie Wigglesworth.
McEntee, who has more recently combined his duties with coaching Leinster A and Ireland’s under 19s, said that provincial player development structures had changed beyond recognition in the last decade. The Kildare man added:
“The challenge for all of the provincial academies and Irish Rugby is to have the right combination of physical conditioning, skills, tactical awareness and most importantly the right attitude to become the next Irish professional players.
“I think we undoubtedly have the right playing talent in Irish Rugby to do that and I’m looking forward to working with all of the provincial academy managers.”
The statement from the union says that the position, “is an integral part of the IRFU’s high performance player pathway strategy.”
