David Humphreys to take over as IRFU performance director at end of this season

David Humphreys will succeed David Nucifora as the IRFU’s performance director, as reported by The Irish Times last Saturday. The process will begin in March, when the two work alongside each other to facilitate a handover process, before Humphreys formally takes over the position from June 1st.

Nucifora, who joined the IRFU on June 1st, 2014, initially on a five-year contract, has overseen an unparalleled era of success in Irish rugby during what will be a decade in charge by the time he steps down following the Paris Olympics, where the Ireland men’s and women’s Sevens rugby teams will compete.

It’s a form of the sport that is dear to the Australian’s heart and for which he is a passionate advocate that Sevens can be a development pathway for the 15s code.

Humphreys’s appointment comes on foot of a global recruitment drive, overseen by Odgers Berndtson, and an IRFU interview panel that included high-performance expert Gary Keegan, along with members of the union’s senior leadership team.

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Humphreys studied law at Queen’s University and Oxford and subsequently trained under former Ireland rugby icon Mike Gibson, a partner at Belfast law firm Tughans.

Educated at Ballymena Academy, he was a brilliant outhalf that played representative rugby at age-grade level for Ulster and Ireland. It was his virtuoso performance in the 1995 Varsity match for Oxford, where he scored all 19 points in defeat, before the watching Ireland senior coach Murray Kidd that saw him win the first of 72 Irish senior caps (560 points) the following year against France.

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Affectionately known as ‘wee Jackie’ in homage to the great Jack Kyle, Humphreys vied for the number 10 Irish jersey with Ronan O’Gara until his retirement in 2006. He captained Ulster to their memorable 1999 European Cup triumph, a campaign in which he produced a series of brilliant performances.

Later in his career he added a Celtic League and a Celtic Cup. He won the 2001 AIL with Dungannon, having previously played for London Irish.

Upon his retirement, Humphreys served as director of rugby for Ulster and spent six years in a similar role with Gloucester. He then took on a role as a high-performance consultant with Georgia, switched sports to take a role with Cricket Ireland before last February he agreed to take over as director of performance operations for the England and Wales Cricket board.

The IRFU’s chief executive Kevin Potts said: “In David Humphreys we know we have found someone who believes passionately in Irish rugby and has the expertise, skills, and desire to keep us competitive on the world stage. Our search took us globally and ultimately David was the standout candidate.

“David’s observations about the development of the system over the last decade showed a deep understanding and I was enthused by his energy and vision for rugby in Ireland and cannot wait to see him bring it to life.

“I would like to thank David Nucifora for the outstanding contribution he has made in building our high-performance unit over almost a decade and wish him every success in his future endeavours. He will leave a solid foundation for David Humphreys to build upon and we are grateful for his commitment to working with his successor through next spring, ensuring a smooth handover of this key role for Irish rugby.”

Humphreys said: “I was fortunate to have a wonderful playing career with Ireland and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to play a part in another chapter of Irish rugby’s history. I look forward to building on the successful systems put in place by David Nucifora, who has been a driving force behind Irish rugby for 10 years

“The chance now to further develop the pathways in the men’s and women’s game hugely excites me and I am really looking forward to working with all the coaches, provinces, players, and backroom teams to ensure that Irish rugby continues to go from strength to strength.”

Meanwhile, L’Équipe newspaper in France has reported that Leinster’s tighthead prop Michael Ala’alatoa has agreed a two-year contract from next season with Clermont Auvergne. The Samoa international joined the Irish province in 2021 and since then has made 48 appearances, scoring five tries.