After much speculation, Noel McNamara has been appointed head coach of Leinster, replacing the departing Leo Cullen. McNamara, currently the attacking coach at Bordeaux Bègles, masterminded a dominant victory over Leinster in the Investec Champions Cup final in May. Ireland full-back Hugo Keenan, who has a long-standing relationship with McNamara, described the appointment as "exciting" and "great news." McNamara previously served as Leinster's academy manager and Leinster A head coach, and also coached Ireland's Under-20s to a Grand Slam in 2019.
His time in South Africa with the Sharks and his recent success in France have provided him with a unique perspective. Keenan highlighted McNamara's "presence in a room" and strong man-management skills as key attributes that will help him transition from an attacking coach to a head coach. Leinster know firsthand the impact of a McNamara-led attack, having suffered a crushing 41-19 defeat to Bordeaux in Bilbao.
Keenan believes McNamara's familiarity with the province will help him evolve the team while maintaining Leinster's identity. The departing Cullen leaves behind a legacy of six league titles and a Champions Cup win in 2018, but also five final losses in the competition. McNamara's challenge will be to fill those "big boots to fill" and continue Leinster's success.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing