The pair will take up new roles at the province ahead of the start of the domestic season in September.
Limerick duo Mossy Lawlor and Colm Tucker are key components in Connacht Rugby’s structural changes in the coaching team for 2022/23.
Lawlor will assume the role of Attack & Skills coach while Tucker will take the reigns as Scrum & Contact coach.
Andy Friend, who has served as Head Coach since 2018, has moved to a new position of ‘Director of Rugby’ with overall responsibility for the rugby programme across Connacht’s professional setup.
Peter Wilkins assumes the role of Head Coach for the season, where the rest of the coaching team will consist of Tucker, Lawler and Forwards Coach Dewald Senekal who has responsibility for Lineout and Maul.
CONNACHT PRO COACHING TEAM 2022/23
Andy Friend – Director of Rugby
Peter Wilkins – Head Coach
Dewald Senekal – Forwards (Lineout and Maul)
Colm Tucker – Scrum & Contact
Mossy Lawler – Attack & Skills
Lawlor made his debut for Munster in 2001 and was part of the winning Heineken Cup squads in 2006 and ’08. He left the province for Wasps in 2008 after making 65 appearances for Munster. He began his coaching career with UL Bohemian’s before moving to Connacht in 2015 where he has held the role of Elite Player Development Office, and head coach of the U20s side and Connacht Eagles.
Tucker joined Connacht in 2015 as a Coach Development Officer before moving to the role of Provincial Talent Coach twelve months later.
Subsequently, the Limerick native become an Elite Player Development Officer, working primarily with the forwards in the Connacht Academy and as forwards and defence coach with Connacht Eagles.
During that time he was head coach of the Connacht Under-18s that won the 2018 Interprovincial Championship, a first in 10 years for the province. He was also coach of the Ireland U-18 Clubs & Schools team for three years, assistant coach to the Ireland U-19s, and assistant coach to the Ireland U-20s (between 2019 and 2021).
Between them, Tucker and Lawler have been instrumental in the development of the many Connacht Academy players who have moved up to the westerners’ senior squad in recent years.
Munster host Connact in round eight of the URC on November 26 in Thomond Park at 7.45pm.
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