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Italy confirm Conor O'Shea as new head coach on four-year contract

O’Shea will take the IRFU’s Stephen Aboud with him to oversee development in the country.

FORMER IRELAND INTERNATIONAL fullback Conor O’Shea has today been formally unveiled as the new head coach of Italy’s rugby team.

The Limerick-born 45-year-old has long been touted as the successor to Jacques Brunel and he already announced his decision to end his six-year stint as Harlequins Director of Rugby earlier this season.

O’Shea has agreed to a four-year term in charge of the Azzurri which will take him through the next Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Six Nations.

O’Shea has already chosen some key components of his coaching ticket, with ex-England coach Mike Catt taking up the position of skills and attack coach.

Steve Aboud speaks to the coaches Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Stephen Aboud will leave his IRFU position as head of technical direction to take up, on 1 August, an elite youth performance director role whereby he will oversee the training of players and coaches in youth grades up to under 20. The position is newly created for Aboud.

Staying on from the Brunel administration will be forwards coach Giampiero De Carli and fitness coach John Sanguin.

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