Former Munster outhalf and current Hurricanes attack coach Tyler Bleyendaal will replace Andrew Goodman as an assistant coach at Leinster.
Bleyendaal, who played 62 times for Munster between 2015 and 2020, will take over from Goodman this summer once the latter moves onto the Ireland coaching ticket to replace Mike Catt as backs coach.
A New Zealand native, like Goodman, Bleyendaal joined Munster from the Crusaders in 2015. He was named the province’s player of the year in 2017 and earned a call-up to the Ireland squad under Joe Schmidt, only for injuries to derail his career before he could earn an international cap. He retired in 2020, aged 30, after a long-term neck issue.
Before travelling to Limerick, Bleyendaal was a prodigious underage talent, captaining the country of his birth to a Junior World Cup crown in 2010.
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After retiring, Bleyendaal remained in Munster circles as a coach at Garryowen. However, his tenure there was short as he returned to professional rugby on the coaching staff at the Hurricanes under Jason Holland, another former Munster man. Bleyendaal has been responsible for attack and skills at the Super Rugby outfit. The 33-year-old coached against Ireland at the recent World Cup as part of his stint on the Tonga backroom staff.
”Tyler has been with the Hurricanes for the last few seasons and has been steadily growing as a coach – you can see that in the way they’re playing now, not just their results but specifically in terms of some of the stats around their attack,” said Leinster head coach Leo Cullen. “He’s someone who knows Ireland well and understands the rugby landscape here which is important, but ultimately, we are keen for him add to our environment and for us to learn from him, which is our approach with all new coaches.”
“The opportunity to test myself in another environment and in another competition was one that I was very keen to explore, and I am equally grateful to Leo Cullen for the chance to continue my growth as a coach,” said Bleyendaal. “I am looking forward to joining Leinster Rugby ahead of next season and my family and I are very excited for the adventure ahead in a country that we hold dear.”
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