Leinster coach Matt Williams yesterday confirmed the appointment of fellow Australian Alan Gaffney as assistant coach for the coming season. Williams and his new assistant worked together while at New South Wales and the Leinster coach enthused: "Alan Gaffney is one of the most highly respected coaches in Australia and has worked with me at the New South Wales Waratahs in the Super 12.
Gaffney's forte according to Williams is his skills coaching. Williams pointed out that he would look around and see if he could develop the coaching staff by adding people with specialist skills. He was adamant that he wouldn't be rushed but would be interested in those coaches whom he felt could contribute to what he essentially views as a coaching team.
Gaffney is one of only 15 living life members of the Randwick club, an honour bestowed for distinguished service as a player and coach. He was the NSW Under 21s backs coach when they won the National Championship in 1996. He will link up with the Leinster panel on their short trip to England and Wales which begins next week.
Leinster begin with a training camp at the University of Wales, Swansea before playing matches against Saracens, Bridgend and Swansea. Williams confirmed the 29 players who have been contracted by the province. He confirmed that he looked at players available in the Southern Hemisphere and felt that they weren't of sufficient standard to warrant a contract. He said that he preferred to develop a young Irish player rather than waste money.
Williams initial problem is that 11 of the squad are currently out injured, the most serious of which is St Mary's College wing John McWeeney. He had undergone shoulder surgery, a legacy from last season, and will not be available for selection until January. Brian O'Driscoll's hamstring is responding well and Williams has tentatively pencilled in a 20 minute run-out for the Blackrock centre in the third game of the tour against Swansea.
Trevor Brennan will take a limited part in the tour because of shoulder trouble while young outhalf Andy Dunne is hoping that a tiny knee cartilage tear will not necessitate an operation. There are four newcomers to the squad Dunne, Simon Keogh, Rory Sheriff and Richard Woods.
All of Leinster's home matches in the Heineken European Cup will kick-off at 7.0pm, television scheduling permitting.
LEINSTER SQUAD: T Brennan, E Byrne, S Byrne, R Casey, R Corrigan, V Costello, P Coyle, L Cullen, G D'Arcy, G Dempsey, A Dunne, E Farrell, G Halpin, D Hegarty, D Hickie, S Horgan, S Keogh, M McHugh, P McKenna, J McWeeney, E Miller, D O'Brien, B O'Driscoll, M O'Kelly, B O'Meara, R Sheriff, P Smyth, L Toland, R Woods.
TOUR TO ENGLAND AND WALES: August 11th - Saracens v Leinster; Aug 16th - Bridgend v Leinster; Aug 19th - Swansea v Leinster.
