Kidney Appointed Leinster Director of Rugby

Leinster Rugby have confirmed that Declan Kidney has agreed a three-year contract as Director of Rugby with the province and will take up the position on the 1st August.

Leinster Rugby have confirmed that Declan Kidney has agreed a three-year contract as Director of Rugby with the province and will take up the position on the 1st August.

Speaking on Wednesday, Leinster Rugby Chief Executive Michael Dawson said that he was delighted to have secured the services of Kidney:

I am delighted to confirm that Declan has agreed to join Leinster. Declan is an outstanding coach with huge experience of the domestic, club and the international game.

Having secured the services of all our international players for the coming season, and with the number of quality young players coming through the system, I believe that Declan s expertise will help Leinster move forward.

“Declan will complete his coaching team in the near future”, he said.

A veteran of rugby training and coaching, Kidney (44) began playing with Presentation Brothers College, UCC and Dolphin. His coaching career began at age 19, coaching schools sides from Under 13s to seniors.

Highlights of Kidney s coaching career include winning a Triple Crown with Irish Schools in 1992 and winning the World Cup in 1998 with the Ireland U-19 s in France.

He also steered Dolphin into Division One of the All-Ireland League for the first time in 1997 and guided Munster to back to back Interprovincial titles in 1998 and 1999, a first for the province.

Since then, Kidney has led Munster to two Heineken Cup finals in 2000 and 2002 and held the position of Assistant Coach with Ireland in recent years during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and 2004 Triple Crown winning campaigns.