Fogarty and Alcorn return as Head Coaches of Clovers and Wolfhounds
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) is delighted to announce that Denis Fogarty and Neill Alcorn will return as Head Coaches for the upcoming Celtic Challenge competition.
The Celtic Challenge returns for the third year with an expanded format seeing each side play five home and five away games.
Fogarty has been appointed head coach of the Clovers and Alcorn will take charge of the Wolfhounds
Both head coaches have been working in the Irish system for years, with Fogarty the current scrum coach with the Ireland Women’s side, and Alcorn the current IRFU Women’s National Talent Coach for Ulster.
Fogarty will lead the Clovers selection, with ex Ireland international and current Women’s National Talent Coach for Connacht, Larissa Muldoon and Leah Lyons, ex Ireland international as assistant coaches.
While Alcorn will be the head coach with the Wolfhounds squad, Maz Reilly, ex International and World Rugby intern, who recently was with the Women’s National Team at the WXV1 tournament in Vancouver and Ben Martin, the ex-Australian international who has coached many All Ireland League sides, are coming on board as assistant coaches.
Commenting on his re-appointment with the Clovers, Fogarty said:
“I am really excited about this season’s Celtic Challenge on the back of a hugely successful period for Women’s rugby in Ireland with World Cup qualification secured through the Six Nations and a second place finish at WXV1 in Vancouver. The ongoing work of the Women’s National Talent Squads in unearthing new and exciting talent makes me really eager to get going.”
Alcorn added:
“The recent release of the new Strategy for Rugby in Ireland clearly demonstrates that the Women’s game is a huge priority for the IRFU so we are delighted with the expanded format of the Celtic Challenge for this season. Last year’s tournament saw some exciting players emerge such as Katie Corrigan who went on to get her international cap during 6 Nations last year. We are hoping more players can follow Katie’s path while the Wolfhounds challenge for the Celtic Challenge again.”
Full fixtures for the competition will be announced this month.