NEWS:COLIN McENTEE will succeed Allen Clarke as the IRFU's high performance manager, an appointment that was officially announced yesterday.
The 34-year-old currently manages and co-ordinates the hugely-successful Leinster Academy and the elite player development programme in the province which includes identifying players from the age of 15. He also coaches the Leinster A team.
McEntee’s new role, which will see him report to the IRFU director of rugby, Eddie Wigglesworth, will also entail the continuing evolution of the IRFU elite player development programme. He will be charged with developing the elite pathway, people management, overseeing academy player contracts, succession planning, player welfare, financial planning and the national age-grade representative sides.
A former backrow forward he played for Leinster at youths, under-19, under-21 and senior levels and also represented Ireland in youths, under-21 and A teams.
He joined the IRFU in 1998 as a development officer and was appointed elite player development officer in 2002 before becoming the Leinster Academy manager in September 2004.
