McNamara to succeed Cullen as Leinster head coach

Bordeaux Begles attack coach Noel McNamara will replace Leo Cullen as Leinster's head coach from next season, the Irish province announces. Noel McNamara will remain with Bordeaux until the end of the season before he returns to Leinster Noel McNamara will replace Leo Cullen as Leinster's head coach from next season, the Irish province have announced. Cullen said in June that he would leave his role at the end of the current campaign after a trophy-laden 12 years with Leinster. McNamara is currently attack coach at Bordeaux Begles, who defeated Leinster in the Investec Champions Cup final last season. The 43-year-old previously spent five years at Leinster in a number of roles, including Leinster 'A' head coach and as academy manager.

He joined the Sharks in South Africa in 2021 as attack and backs coach before taking on his current role with Bordeaux in 2023. Since moving to France he has helped Bordeaux win consecutive Champions Cups and they have twice been runners-up in the Top 14. In May, Leinster were second best as they struggled to deal with Bordeaux's McNamara-led attack in Bilbao, with the French side running out dominant 41-19 winners. McNamara, who also coached Ireland to an Under-20s Six Nations Grand Slam in 2019, said that the job was "one of the most prestigious roles in world