Peter Smyth has been named the new head of Leinster’s Academy, taking over from Girvan Dempsey who has been confirmed as Leo Cullen’s backs coach.
The new three year agreement sees Smyth, a former Leinster hooker (1997-2004), having to eventually leave his position as St Mary’s director of rugby and Blackrock College schools coach.
Smyth has strong ties to Cullen since they were teenagers, having both played together on the Blackrock sides that won Leinster schools cup in 1993, 1995 and 1996. Smyth was the vice-captain in all three years with Barry Gibney as captain. The ’96 squad, dubbed the Dream Team, eventually produced five full Ireland internationals – Cullen, Bob Casey (current CEO of London Irish), Brian O’Driscoll, Ciarán Scally and David Quinlan.
“I am delighted to be taking up this post with the IRFU and Leinster Rugby,” Smyth said in a statement. “There is huge potential in the underage system in Leinster across both schools and clubs and I am excited at being in a position to help nurture that talent into future Ireland representative players.”
Another member of Cullen’s Leinster backroom team, Emmet Farrell, is a former professional who was the Blackrock outhalf in ’95 outhalf while John Fogarty toured Australia with all the above on the successful Irish schools team in ’96. Fogarty was promoted to senior scrum coach this season to replace Greg Feek.
Dempsey will replace Richie Murphy, who will cease double jobbing to solely focus on being Ireland skills coach after this season.
Smyth’s promising playing career was cut short by injury and illness but he did have one more season (2004/05) in England for Rotherham but the school teacher, who turns 38 on Saturday, has always had the personality and rugby brain to become a professional coach.
St Mary’s won the All-Ireland League under his watch in 2012 while two schools cups have been returned to Williamstown, 2013 and 2014, since he became head coach five years ago.
All told, it makes the Academy role a snug fit as he has first hand knowledge of the underage talent in the province. He officially takes up the role in January.
Peter Smyth commented,
“I am delighted to be taking up this post with the IRFU and Leinster Rugby. There is huge potential in the underage system in Leinster across both schools and clubs and I am excited at being in a position to help nurture that talent into future Ireland representative players.”
