Rugby News: John O'Sullivan profiles Gary Ella, the man expected to be named Leinster coach today

Gary Ella will celebrate his 43rd birthday on July 23rd as head coach to the Leinster rugby team. The IRFU and the Leinster Branch are expected to be in a position to confirm his acceptance at a press conference today.

They will also be able to outline when Ella, married with two children, will be free to take up his duties at the Irish province. The Ireland squad members within the Leinster set-up head for Spala in Poland this Friday for a 10-day training camp while the rest of the provincial panel are expected back on Monday, for body-fat testing.

Ella's appointment basically copper-fastens the assertion that Leinster were ostensibly looking for a backs coach to complement their existing set-up, although the Australian will also be head coach. He comes from an Australian rugby dynasty that includes his more famous brother Mark, winner of 25 Wallaby caps as an outhalf, and Mark's twin, Glen, who won four caps.

Gary was capped six times for Australia at centre in a career that saw him play the majority of his rugby at the Randwick club in Sydney and for the New South Wales Waratahs. Along with Mark and Glen he toured with the Australian schoolboys in the 1977/1978 season - an 11-match itinerary that saw them go undefeated included tests against Japan, Wales, Ireland, England and Holland.

Among others from that team to make their mark at senior level later in their careers was Ballymena coach Tony D'Arcy, who is also the Irish team's current scrum guru.

Gary Ella played 123 games for Randwick, winning eight Premiership titles. He wore the Waratah jersey 26 times; it would have been more but he was sidelined for two seasons through injury.

He made his international debut in 1982 against New Zealand (he had toured Britain and Ireland the season before but didn't line out in a test), playing in both tests, and won the last of his six caps in 1988 against England in Sydney.

He began his coaching career while still playing with Bourke rugby club in New South Wales. From 1990 to 1995 he ran a junior development rugby camp in New South Wales and was first assistant coach with Randwick (1990) and then co-coach to Randwick (1991) during their pomp, including working with a back line that boasted the great David Campese.

From 1993 to 1995 he coached the New South Wales under-19s to three consecutive Australian championships and in 1996 was named as one of the New South Wales assistant coaches in the first year of the Super 12. Matt Williams was there at that time.

He took charge of the Australian under-19 team from 1997 to 2000 and in the latter year guided them to the IRB/FIRA World Cup final, where they were beaten by France in Dijon.

In 2001, he took over as backs coach (under Bob Dwyer) for the Waratahs and was also handed the assistant coach's role with Australia A, a position he retained up until this year. During his time at NSW assisting Dwyer, the Waratahs finished sixth, second (beaten by Brumbies in the semis) and fifth in the Super 12.

Throughout his playing career Ella has taken a huge interest on a hands-on basis in Aboriginal affairs, holding several prominent positions, and was heavily involved with the Sydney Olympics.

As a player he was noted for his exceptional skill. As a coach working outside Australia, the clock starts in early August.

The Leinster players and backroom team have already been informed about Ella's imminent arrival.