Stop trying so hard lad,youāre impressing no one.Youād want to up your game
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You from Connaught Massey?
Yes indeed Michael
Point duly noted.
Connacht hire New Zealander Kieran Keane to replace Pat Lam
The 63-year-old is currently backs coach at the Chiefs.
After spending more than two months weighing up their options, Connacht have gone back to New Zealand to hire their new head coach.
Kieran Keane - currently the backs and assistant coach at Super Rugbyās Chiefs - has been appointed at the Sportsground on a three year deal.
Heāll replace fellow New Zealander Pat Lam, who departs for Bristol at the end of the season.
The 63-year-old has decades of coaching experience behind him, dating back to his days as a schoolteacher. Keane had a brief spell as assistant coach at the Highlanders, but itās his work as head coach for the Tasman Makos where he achieved his greatest success.
Keane won the ITM Championship Cup with the Makos in 2013, before leading them to an unlikely Premiership final appearance the following year. During his spell at the province, more than 15 players advanced to Super Rugby.
A a player, Keane featured six times for New Zealand but never in an official test, and played at first centre for his provincial side Canterbury.
Speaking about his appointment this afternoon, Keane says he could instantly identify with the province.
"During my recent trip to the West of Ireland, I had the chance to meet many people within Connacht Rugby and I was immediately taken by the genuine passion they have for the people they represent and the ambition they have to achieve so much more.
āIt was clear very early on in our discussions that Connacht Rugby was a good fit for me and I am looking forward to the challenge ahead and to working with the players and everyone associated with the club.ā
Connacht CEO Willie Ruane said the province were thrilled to secure a coach of Keaneās experience.
"Kieran is a highly experienced Head Coach with a winning track record and a proven ability in identifying talent and maximising the full potential of that talent. His ambitious and exciting brand of rugby is also consistent with the way Connacht Rugby and in particular our players want to continue to play the game into the future.
āKieranās time at Tasman also highlights the connection that his teams have with the community they represent, and that is something he clearly sees in Connacht as well.ā
Is he an ex New Zealander?
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Not yet.
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Informative.
Kiran Keane will allow for some class name mix ups with the deceased Limerick crime lord, and a fair few rugby lads Iāve seen could pass off for Frog Eyes. Thisāll be mighty.
Seems like a v good signing. The chiefās played a brilliant style of rugby the last few years. Will suit connacht skill sets
Bit disappointed they didnāt find an Irish man for it though
Eddie will never get another job will he?
Whatās the issue there, heās done quite well wherever heās been hasnāt he?
Oxymoron.
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I love the way they play, Keane has adopted a very expansive game
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Heās actually taken a head coaching job in the AIL in the last few weeks with one of Dublin clubs . Tbh he should have bitten that bullet long ago if he wanted to get back into the system here.
V good coach. Not sure how good a man manager he is albeit players he had with ireland would speak highly of him by and large. He stayed in irish job too long it went stale.
He is so long gone from top level club coaching it would be nigh on impossible to get back into a decent head coaching role. Biarritz was a shambles (not of his making) by all accounts. He would make a decent contribution as a backs coach somewhere but not sure too many coaches would want that strong a personality on a junior role.
I feel a bit sorry for him whatever ego he had has been well drained out of him.
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Didnāt realise he was working again, thatās good. I quite like Eddie on the radio, Iād take him as a pundit over Toland, Wood and Thornley any day of the week. (Off the ball obviously)
Yeah heās a decent analyst. Heās an experienced coach few enough of the other analysts have much if any coaching experience.
He definitely pissed in someoneās chips in the IRFU anyhow
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I like his wide boy Cork accent as well, all round heās a far more interesting character than the rest.
Heās from yawwwwwwwl
He isnt working
He is coaching an AIL team ffs
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He does a very good āshowā with murray Kinsella on the42.ie
Worth a watch if only for the awkwardness of the height differential. Kinsella is at least a foot taller than him