Bordeaux coach gets the Leinster job
Leinster have confirmed Noel McNamara as their next head coach, ending a search that ran for months. He will take over from Leo Cullen after the current season, joining the province on July 1, 2027. Until then he stays at Bordeaux-Begles, where he coaches the attack and where he has been since 2023.
The appointment passes over Jacques Nienaber, the Springboks World Cup winner who has been Leinster’s senior coach since 2023/24. Felipe Contepomi had dropped out because of his commitments with Argentina through the 2027 World Cup, and former All Blacks boss Scott Robertson had also been reported as a contender.
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A big name in attack, a short head coaching record
McNamara’s head coaching experience is thin. Beyond a spell in charge of Leinster A, he has not run an adult side. His standout result came with Ireland Under-20s, whom he led to the 2019 Six Nations Grand Slam. He later spent two years as an assistant at the Sharks in Durban, where he got to know Yannick Bru, the coach who eventually brought him to Bordeaux.
Those years have been successful ones. Bordeaux have won back-to-back Champions Cup titles and are chasing a third European crown alongside French league honors this season.
Leinster’s leadership framed the choice as one of continuity. Chief executive Shane Nolan said the handover should be seamless, while Guy Easterby said the club wanted someone with a deep feel for Leinster and Irish rugby plus a winning record. IRFU performance director David Humphreys also praised McNamara’s experience and his understanding of the Irish game.
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