PAUL McNAUGHTON’S replacement as national team manager will come from within Ireland.

The specific demands of the position McNaughton has held since May, 2008 requires someone with an innate understanding of the Irish provincial and club scenes.

The 59-year-old, who won 15 caps for Ireland from 1978 to 1981, also acted as an intermediary in negotiations between the IRFU, national and provincial coaches. Another duty was to regularly brief the media.

McNaughton will assist the process of finding his own replacement along with Declan Kidney and the union management committee.

This includes IRFU chief executive Philip Browne, director of rugby Eddie Wigglesworth and committee chair Finbarr Crowley.

The hope is to announce a new team manager before the Six Nations opener against Wales on February 5th.

There will, however, not be a new backline coach to replace Alan Gaffney, whose contract wasn’t extended prior to the World Cup, unlike Kidney, defence coach Less Kiss, forwards coach Gert Smal and kicking coach Mark Tainton.

The union view is that there is not enough preparatory time to add a new voice to the coaching ticket ahead of the Six Nations.

Kidney, Kiss and Tainton – who along with Smal are contracted until the end of next season – will oversee Ireland’s attacking strategy.

Browne has previously stated that Kidney is permitted to bring in a new backline expert, so this may be reconsidered before the three-Test series in New Zealand next summer.

In contrast, Ireland’s conquerors in the World Cup quarter-final Wales recently secured both their defence, Shaun Edwards, and attack coach, Rob Howley, for another four years.

The recruitment process for the IRFU head of fitness is also under way.

There is no guarantee of a provincial promotion as some highly-respected international candidates will be interviewed to replace Philip Morrow.

A new strength and conditioning coach to the national squad also needs to be hired, to cover another role previously held by Morrow.