Matt O'Connor

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Reports starting to Circulate that Matt O'Connor is leaving his position as Leinster Coach with immediate effect.

This was a commercial decision. Leinster no doubt saw the way attendances slumped down south when Munster went into a downswing and it appears that ST sales this season were slower than last season with a lot of people indicating that they weren't prepared to shell out a load of money up front to watch a repeat of this year's crap.

Yes, MOC seems to be a nice guy, but maybe too nice. I don't think coach and players should be too matey and some of the stuff coming out from senior players about how much they like MOC and his training methods was a bit too gushing. He allowed some senior players to operate on cruise control - alluded to by Jenno in his Sunday Times interview - and we need some body who's prepared to kick a few arses the way Cheika did publicly and Joe did not so publicly.

As to who we get, haven't a clue but Gibbes impressed us all during his time here and seems to be doing a good job in Clermont - but he is kitted out to be a head coach rather than a very good deputy coach. Not sure. Too early for Girve but a good move for him to be backs coach under a strong head coach.

I said this when he was appointed but, though we all loved him to bits as player and captain, Leo being installed as forwards coach without an iota of coaching experience smacked too much of jobs for the boys - and it showed in some of performances up front. Let him remain as forwards coach and learn his trade, but no way should be anything other than a stand-in until an experienced and proven head coach is appointed.

Lam would be a good fit but can't see IRFU going along with him jumping ship from Connacht given the progress out west in the past year. Don't buy into O'Shea - he doesn't seem to do much actual coaching at Quins and is more a Director of Rugby type. Jackman and Prendergast had a great first half of the Top14 with Grenoble, but not so great a second half.

Don't think he would come, but Baxter has done an incredible job with very little resources at Exeter. Out of left field, how about Eddie O'S - dealing with Blanco in the French division with Biarritz can't much fun, and I still think he was badly treated by the IRFU

I was just pointing out that Leinster were more than capable of signing a coach "from a big money league" when they wanted to. Incidentally most of the coaches in the top AP sides weren't signed with reputations. Only Mallinder and West arrived with any real reputation but that was as aged grade coaches joining a relegated Northampton. Gloucester are a prime example as to why club's don't spend big on coaches.

Leinster need to look internally. They've had some success bringing in foreign coaches during the golden generation but now the rebuilding process needs to start in earnest and MOC never had the developmental record to take that on, he's famously bad at bringing through academy players. Someone who knows and understands the ethos of Leinster needs to take the helm and re establish the core ideals of the club and the squad.

I think top level rugby has passed EOS by at this stage.

It's official - Leinster are in crisis....

rodders wrote:It's official - Leinster are in crisis....

Many in Leinster have just had a mini-crisis after hearing this news, that's for sure.

It appears that MOC did actually leave. He is being lined up for the Queensland Reds job according to the 42.

Phillipe Saint Andre will be looking for a new job after the world cup.

Clive Woodard might not make the short shortlist for France

Robbie Deans is lurking somewhere, as is Ewan McKensie

Jake White has to be put his hand up for this one - he does for every other one.

DecLan Kidney might like another go at a province - that would keep the Munster rivalry going.

Mark McCall might get tired of brai dining

Conor O'Shea might want to win something again

The coach of London Welsh might like to win a game or two

Bernard Jackman might want to swap the sunny climes of France for eh... err... forget that

Endless possibilities......

I reckon someone out of the NZ coaching set up after the RWC with Cullen & Co in charge until then.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:It appears that MOC did actually leave. He is being lined up for the Queensland Reds job according to the 42.

Yea, seems to be. He saw the writing on the wall. Good luck to him. I met him once - a very nice guy. He was treated very poorly by Leinsterfans.

Robbie Deans - not after what he said about Nucifora when he was head coach in Australia.

Jake White - no - getting big bucks in france.

Declan Kidney - after that appalling kidney clock Poopie ???? An example of why no sane coach would have anything to do with Leinster.

Mark McCall - after the way he was hounded out of Ulster? He could expect the same treatment from the Leinster fans.

Bernard Jackman has ruled himself out I think (or considering what he said about Leinster in his book, probably was never in with a chance).

Leinster need a sargeant major of a coach (a la Cheika) to get their asses in gear. Someone with the style of Cockerill maybe. Where is Mike Brewer these days.

Nacewa will take over the backs and Cullen as head coach - O'Shea as DoR - you heard it here first.

rodders wrote:Nacewa will take over the backs and Cullen as head coach - O'Shea as DoR  - you heard it here first.

We need a Coach not a Parrot sitting on a Head Coaches' shoulders.

I'd personally die a thousand deaths if O'Shea turned up.

Oh dear.... there'll be an online campaign now to ship O'Shea in pronto!

Sin é wrote:

Bernard Jackman has ruled himself out I think (or considering what he said about Leinster in his book, probably was never in with a chance).

Leinster need a sargeant major of a coach (a la Cheika) to get their asses in gear. Someone with the style of Cockerill maybe. Where is Mike Brewer these days.

How ironic.  I didn't read Jackman's book (waiting for it to be made into a movie) so I don't know what he said or didn't say about Cheika.  But I know they didn't have a great relationship so I'd think a large chunk of Jackman's disillusionment with Leinster had a bunch to do with Head Butting Mike.

Dempsey is being groomed for higher honours. I would bet he will take over the backs and Isa will take over the skills coach from Murphy who will go full time with Ireland.

Conor O Shea would certainly get you playing a more exciting brand of rugby but tactically he's not been so good this season.

He's got Quins making plenty of metres and line breaks but this hasn't turned into many tries.

I think of the candidates you mention pot hale I do think O Shea would be the best fit.

O'Shea has finally got the Quick board to spend some money and get some players in. It would be an odd to me to leave. McCall won't leave Sarries, he's got the setup he wants and the club are building nicely.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Dempsey is being groomed for higher honours. I would bet he will take over the backs and Isa will take over the skills coach from Murphy who will go full time with Ireland.

Murphy seems to be a potential weak link in both camps.  We're winning at International (so far) but we're not exactly blowing people off the field with fizz and pizazz or exceptionally consistent kicking.

beshocked wrote:Conor O Shea would certainly get you playing a more exciting brand of rugby but tactically he's not been so good this season.

O'Shea is a hands off DoR - Private club admin.  I don't know how much he gets out there and in there in training but that's the coach Leinster require.  We require a working, practical, training field Head Coach, like always.

Sin é wrote:

Declan Kidney - after that appalling kidney clock Poopie ???? An example of why no sane coach would have anything to do with Leinster.

So we're looking for an Unhinged Coach?

Hmmm............... back to Cheika I suppose or Cockerill - though Cockerill did send us MOC for a laugh so he might get boos for a few months.....