Munster confirm all female coaching ticket for Women’s and U-18s for next season

Munster Rugby have confirmed their coaching set ups for their Women and U-18 Girl’s squads and for the first time ever both will be coached and management by women.

Laura Guest heads up the Women’s squad for a third season. Guest has led Munster to a provincial crown since finishing her distinguished playing career. She is joined on the coaching ticket by former teammate Helen Brosnan who joins as assistant coach.

Former Munster and UL Bohemian forward and current Sunday’s Well Rebels Coach Maeve D’Arcy will once again manage the squad having come into the position of team manager in 2017.

Lorna Barry continues to work with the senior squad as a strength and conditioning coach. Kathyrn Fahy completes the senior management group and is in her second season with the senior squad.

Elsewhere, Munster and former Ireland international Fiona Hayes will take charge of the U18 Girls’ squad ahead of their Interprovincial preparations.

The 15-cap Ireland prop was a member of the 2013 and 2015 Six Nations winning squads and captained UL Bohs’ to the Women’s All Ireland Cup for a record sixth time earlier this year.

The Limerick native is joined by former UL Bohs’ and Ireland winger Mairead Kelly who comes into the position of assistant coach.

Munster and Ireland international Niamh Briggs will take up the role of technical skills coach.

UL Bohs forward Sarah Hartigan has worked with the underage squad as a team manager for a number of seasons and continues in her position.

Munster Women’s Head Coach, Laura Guest, said:

“It is brilliant to have a strong cohort of female coaches and management in place ahead of our summer training programme.

“The level of knowledge and expertise across both groups will make for some brilliant sessions and I’m looking forward to working with all of the coaches.

“We came agonisingly close to retaining our Interprovincial Series title last season and we hope to be right up there again contesting the trophy with yet another exciting group of players.

“The development of the U18 girls and the TIP group are crucial to bringing players through into our senior ranks and with Fiona, Mairead and Niamh in those key roles we will be in a very good position.”

The Munster Women and U18 Girls’ squads get their Interprovincial preparations underway on Tuesday 2 July at the University of Limerick and Cork Institute of Technology respectively.