Pete Wilkins named as Connacht head coach on a three year deal

Pete Wilkins is to assume overall responsibility for the Connacht team from the beginning of next season. Wilkins arrived in Galway in 2017 as defence coach and takes over from Australian, Andy Friend, who last November announced he would be departing at the end of the season.

The London born Wilkins has agreed a three-year contract with a new Connacht coaching team to be confirmed by the province in the coming weeks.

The 33-year-old is a safe appointment as he knows the players and systems in Connacht, although, one of the issues that needs urgent attention is the status of centre, Bundee Aki, who was benched for several Connacht games before being selected by Irish coach Andy Farrell for the Six Nations Championship squad.

“Pete has invested five years getting to know the strengths of Connacht Rugby and the opportunities that exist within the Irish system,” said David Nucifora, performance director of the IRFU.

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“The investment of Pete spending time with the national coaching team on the New Zealand tour last summer was invaluable as part of his development and progression into the head coach role. He now has the opportunity to shape the next evolution of pro rugby at Connacht.”

Wilkins was promoted to the role of senior coach with primary responsibility for attack in the summer of 2021 after Friend’s move to a director of rugby position. On becoming head coach, he assumed greater responsibility for more on-pitch decision making.

He was also invited to join the Irish coaching team for the tour of New Zealand last summer, which culminated in a historic 2-1 Irish win in the series.

[ Connacht coach Pete Wilkins insists Bundee Aki ‘absolutely available’ for selection ]

Before joining Connacht, Wilkins gained a wide variety of experience in northern and southern hemisphere rugby in Scotland with Edinburgh and in Australia with the Queensland Reds.

“We’re at the advanced stages of finalising that coaching team,” said Wilkins. “It’s about getting that balance. It’s really important to have some continuity with our coaching group, and certainly over the last few years there has been some change and adjustments within our coaching group, and we want to give the players as much stability as we can moving into this next chapter.

“The group we’re putting together is exciting, it’s high on rugby intellect and high on coaching intellect. It’s a coaching group which I think the players will really enjoy working with.”