Noel McNamara has been confirmed as Leinster’s next head coach for the 2027/28 season.
THE 43-YEAR-OLD, who is currently the attack coach for European champions Union Bordeaux-Bègles, is set to take over from Leo Cullen at the end of the season.
The move could mark a notable change in tactical approach for Leinster. With Cullen departing alongside senior coach Jacques Nienaber, who is renowned for his defensive expertise, McNamara’s appointment would likely see Leinster employ a more attacking style of play.
McNamara, a native of O’Callaghan’s Mills in Clare, studied Maths and PE at the University of Limerick. He began a teaching career at Glenstal Abbey and later Clongowes Wood College, where he taught Ireland captain Dan Sheehan.
During his time at the Kildare school, McNamara also held various coaching roles with Leinster Rugby, University College Dublin (UCD) and the IRFU, briefly going on sabbatical to North Harbour in New Zealand.
McNamara was the Head Coach of the Ireland Under-20s from 2017 until 2021, winning a Grand Slam in 2019, while also serving as Leinster’s academy manager from 2019 to 2021.
McNamara went on to work with the Sharks, one of Leinster’s league rivals, before taking up his current role in 2023. During his time with the club, Bordeaux have won back-to-back European titles in 2025 and 2026, beating Leinster 41-19 in the 2026 final and scoring a record-breaking 163 tries last season.
The appointment of McNamara represents a significant coup for both Leinster and Irish rugby, with IRFU Performance Director David Humphreys heavily involved in the head coach search over the past months.
Like Felix Jones and Ronan O’Gara before him, McNamara has achieved great success moving away from Ireland. Munster fans will be frustrated that these talented coaches have not worked with their home province.