Limerick man Colm Tucker departing Connacht at end of season to take up new coaching role

THE IRFU has confirmed that Limerick man Colm Tucker will depart Connacht Rugby at the end of the season to take up a new role as Ireland Men's U20s Head Coach from the start of the 2026/27 season.

Currently the Connacht Scrum and Contact Coach, Tucker was last weekend in charge of the Ireland XV for their victory over Spain in Madrid and will bring a wealth of experience to the Ireland U20s Head Coach role.

Previously he held Assistant Coach positions on Ireland's 2025 Summer Tour and with Ireland 'A'.

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As announced last month, Andrew Browne will be Head Coach of the Ireland U20s for the 2026 Men's U20s Six Nations, which kicks off in early February, before Tucker assumes the position for the 2026/27 season.

Commenting on his appointment, Tucker said: “Working with Connacht Rugby for the past 10 years has been a massive passion in my life, and in my coaching career to date. I would like to thank CEO Willie Ruane and all of my colleagues in the Backroom team, staff and players for all their support and friendship over the last few years.

"It has been one of the biggest honours in both mine and my family’s life to coach under the Connacht crest. I am so incredibly thankful for all the experiences and lifelong friends I have made.

"My wife Deirdre, sons Colm and Charlie and daughter Evie are proud Connacht supporters and we, as a family, have enjoyed many a special night in the Dexcom. We will continue to watch and support Connacht rugby next season and it will always have a special place in my heart.

"There is no better place than a full Dexcom stadium with incredible support of the wonderful Connacht people, I’ll cherish those memories. Connacht have an exciting future on and off the field and I look forward to continuing to help drive the province forward over the course of this season under Stuart (Lancaster).

"I am excited to join the Ireland U20s squad and look forward to working closely with the emerging talent in our national pathway system over the coming seasons. I believe that the future is bright for Irish rugby and I look forward to playing my part in trying to achieve success."

Colm Tucker's playing career was severely curtailed by injuries. He won two All-Ireland League medals with Shannon as a hooker, before being forced to retire.

He played for St Munchin’s College and Shannon and won caps for Ireland at Schools and underage level.

Tucker then made a name for himself as a promising underage coach, and was part of Shannon’s Geoff Moylan-led coaching staff for their league title win in 2009.

He was later head coach at both Shannon and UL-Bohemian RFC.

Tucker joined Connacht in 2015 as a Coach Development Officer before moving to the role of Provincial Talent Coach twelve months later.

Subsequently, the Limerick native become an Elite Player Development Officer, working primarily with the forwards in the Connacht Academy and as forwards and defence coach with Connacht Eagles.

During that time he was head coach of the Connacht Under-18s that won the 2018 Interprovincial Championship – a first in 10 years for the province. He was also coach of the Ireland U-18 Clubs & Schools team for three years, assistant coach to the Ireland U-19s, and assistant coach to the Ireland U-20s (between 2019 and 2021).

IRFU Performance Director David Humphreys added: "We are delighted to secure Cullie's appointment at an exciting and very important juncture for the underage pathway system in Irish rugby. Cullie is an outstanding homegrown coach who has gained a huge amount of experience both at provincial and national levels. He is also a passionate and talented leader and I'm looking forward to working with him to ensure the Ireland U20 team side, and all national age-grade teams and programmes, remain at the forefront of the player development system in Ireland."

Connacht Rugby CEO Willie Ruane said: "Cullie has made a long-lasting impact on Connacht Rugby, going right back to when he first joined us in 2015. From his early days as a Coach Development Officer within our Club & Community team, it was clear he was a talented coach with an excellent eye for identifying and developing young players. We’ve seen that ability come to fruition both during his time in the Academy setup and, since 2021, as part of our Professional coaching team. While we’re all very sad to see him go, we wish him every success in his new role with the Ireland U20s, and every happiness in the future to his wife Deirdre and their three children."

Meanwhile, an extended Ireland U20s squad assembled in Cork yesterday for a five-day training camp before facing South Africa in a challenge match at Virgin Media Park on Friday night (Kick-off 7.30pm).

Tickets for the match are available to purchase via Ticketmaster.ie, while the game will be live streamed on IrishRugby+, brought to you by PwC, the official sponsor of the Ireland U20s.

Ireland U20s get their Men’s U20 Six Nations campaign underway in France on Saturday, 7 February, before returning to Cork on Friday, 13 February for their opening home match against Italy.