Denis Leamy to return to Munster as defence coach

MUNSTER and the IRFU have confirmed that Denis Leamy will join the province as Defence Coach on a three-year deal on completion of his time with Leinster Rugby.

Leamy said the opportunity to return to his home province was too good to turn down.

He joins Mike Prendergast in returning to the province.

The appointment sees Graham Rowntree’s coaching ticket take further shape for next season with the already confirmed Prendergast and Andi Kyriacou on board as the respective attack and forwards coaches.

There was more good news for the province yesterday as it was announced that Keith Earls would stay with the province until the end of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Leamy earned 144 Munster caps having made his debut in September 2001 and played in both the 2006 and 2008 Heineken Cup finals. He was also capped 57 times by Ireland, played in two World Cups, was twice a Triple Crown winner and was a member of the 2009 Grand Slam-winning side.

Leamy’s coaching career saw him work with several sides across the province over seven years including Young Munster RFC, Rockwell College, Clonmel RFC, Cashel RFC and Garryowen FC.

On the provincial front the Tipperary native also worked at various stages with Munster’s age-grade players and the ‘A’ team before making the move to Leinster.

Leamy initially joined Leinster Rugby in 2019 as an Elite Player Development Officer. He was appointed to his current role of Contact Skills Coach with the Senior Squad in 2021 and was also named as Assistant Coach for the Ireland U20s Six Nations campaign last year.

Leamy said "It’s been a very enjoyable few years with Leinster Rugby and I’d like to thank the club for the opportunity to join, first as an EPDO and over the last while as a Contact Skills Coach.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time working with players down in the Centre of Excellence and then up in UCD and trying to add to the environment and to the development of the players as best I can. I feel I have developed myself as a coach working with Leo and the rest of the coaching and backroom staff and this season in particular will live long in the memory.

"Finally, I’d like to thank the players, in particular, for a brilliant three years at Leinster.

"The opportunity to continue my coaching career and to join Munster Rugby and be closer to home, is an opportunity that I feel I have to take to grow as a coach and for family reasons and I look forward to working with Graham and the rest of the team there in due course."

Leinster Rugby head coach Leo Cullen said, "Everyone at Leinster Rugby has really enjoyed having Denis in blue as we know it was a big move for him when he first joined as Elite Player Development Officer in 2019.

"Since then, he has gone on to work with the Senior squad as Contact Skills Coach and he has added hugely to the group from his many experiences in the game.

"We’re sorry to lose him but we all fully understand his decision to move back closer to family and the opportunity to progress his coaching career. We wish Denis and his family the very best for the future."