Jerry Flannery signs new contract with Premiership champions Harlequins

FORMER Munster Rugby assistant coach Jerry Flannery is extending his tenure as lineout and defence coach with Gallagher Premiership champions Harlequins.

'Quins confirmed this Wednesday morning that Limerick man Flannery, Adam Jones (Scrum Coach), and Nick Evans (Attack and Backs Coach) have put pen to paper on new deals at The Stoop as the Double English champions continue to build for long term, sustained success following their 2020/21 Premiership triumph.

Former Ireland international Flannery signs a new deal with the Club having arrived ahead of the 2020/21 season to assume the role of Lineout Coach, taking on his current title of Lineout and Defence Coach during Quins’ spectacular Gallagher Premiership-winning run last year.

Flannery played 93 times for Munster and completed five seasons on Munster's coaching ticket after retiring from playing rugby in 2012. The two-time Heineken Cup winner in 2006 and 2008 also won 41 caps for Ireland between 2005 and 2011.

After hanging up his playing boots, Flannery turned his hand to coaching, first as a strength and conditioning coach with Premier League football team Arsenal from 2013-14 before being recruited as Munster’s scrum coach by the late Anthony Foley in 2014, going on to become the Irish province’s forwards coach in 2017 before leaving his former club in 2020.

Harlequins Senior Coach Tabai Matson said: “The coaching group did an amazing job last year with a fantastic team. It’s always interesting to come from the outside and join a cohesive group - and that’s exactly what they were. They are a high functioning team.

“One thing I’ve really enjoyed is that they’re all completely different. They have different energies, they’re all fantastic within their portfolios and they all compliment each other really well. For me, joining a team like that was exciting. It’s fantastic that they’ve all re-signed as a group.

“What Nick brings to the table is an analytical view. He’s got all that experience from his playing days but now he’s leading and driving the likes of Marcus and Danny. We’re blessed to have him in the mix.

“He’s completely different to Jerry, who brings this real intensity to the way he leads the lineouts and the defence. He’s fantastic practitioner and I’m not sure if it’s just his accent but he’s a wonderful storyteller and he drives a lot of the energy in the week.

“And of course, Bomb [Adam Jones], our Welshman. It’s really an eclectic group of nations, which is one of the things we love about the game, isn’t it?

“Our scrum has often been the thing that’s kept us in games, so with his experience and the way he drives the scrummaging, he’s been a key part of the success here so far.”

Commenting, Harlequins CEO Laurie Dalrymple said: “We are all delighted to have three such highly regarded individuals sign new contracts with the Club. Alongside Billy Millard [Director of Rugby Performance] and Charlie Mulchrone [Skills and Kicking Coach], Nick, Adam and Jerry guided this team to one of the most incredible stories in the Premiership’s history.

"Overseeing a return to Harlequins’ DNA of old as the team has tapped into the Club’s historic and famous style of play, we have seen huge engagement and interaction not only from our supporters but the wider sporting world.

“Alongside the 17 recent key player contract renewals, we are all thrilled to have Nick, Adam and Jerry commit their futures with us. By signing new and permanent deals within our coaching team working alongside Billy, Charlie and Tabai, we have built a brilliant team to help our squad grow, develop and to achieve our ambitious goals.”