GIRVAN DEMPSEY WILL end his 21-year association with Leinster Rugby at the end of the season after agreeing to become attack coach at Premiership club Bath.
The former Leinster and Ireland fullback has been instrumental in the province’s success over recent seasons, and his departure from Leo Cullen’s coaching ticket represents a blow.
After roles as Leinster elite player development officer and academy manager, Dempsey moved into the position of senior backs coach in October 2015 and, alongside Cullen, Stuart Lancaster and John Fogarty, played a key role in the club’s return to the summit of European rugby.
While the rest of the coaching staff signed two-year contract renewals with the province last summer, Dempsey only extended his deal by a season and will now move to England to work under Todd Blackadder at Bath.
Cullen, who played alongside Dempsey for much of his career, paid tribute to his assistant.
“Girv and I have been involved with Leinster and Ireland teams together since 1997 and have shared many special memories together,” the Leinster head coach said.
“The feeling we had together at the final whistle of Saturday’s game was one that I will cherish forever.
“Girv’s move to Bath is a great opportunity for him to continue his development as a world class coach.
“We will miss him greatly, but wish him, his wife Ann-Marie and their two boys the very best for the future.”
Dempsey, who was part of Joe Schmidt’s Ireland coaching team for last summer’s tour of USA and Japan, said: “I’m really looking forward to starting a new chapter in my coaching career. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with Leinster, but I’m excited about what lies ahead with Bath.
“They have a world-class setup and playing squad. I will be looking to bring my experiences and knowledge to support Todd and the coaching team in delivering success to this great club.”
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That’s a shame. Obviously a smart move for him, though. His stock is pretty high on the international market as a Leinster coach, and as long as Lancaster and Leo stay on he’ll br behind them in yhe pecking order. He’s also been with Leinster since 1996, so getting some experience abroad makes a lot of sense.
I wonder will Isa be offered Dempsey’s role, he’d be an invaluable addition to the coaching ticket!
@Gary Cosgrave: I think that’d be a bit too good to be true. My understanding is that Isa wants to return home. It’s a huge distance to be away frim your family for so long, that’s why he retired in the first place.
@Gary Cosgrave: I’d say Noel McNamara is the next in line for the role, if it is even filled again at all. With Lancaster having such a big influence over both attacking and defensive structures, they may look for a skills coach in the mould of Richie Murphy instead of looking for another backs coach.
@EK: valid point.
@Conor Paddington: I’d imagine he’ll pick up his previous role at the blues as skills coach
@EK: if isa stays he’ll be backs/skills coach as he’s previously been skills coach at the blues
Another guy who probably doesn’t get the credit he deserves for the work he’s done over the last few years. Always lots of articles about Flannery, Jones, O’Gara, Lancaster etc. Much like his career he’s just quietly gone about his job but his hands have been all over the rise of this Leinster side. No doubt he’ll be missed but I’m sure a change of scenery will serve him will in the long run.
It’s how it should be. He gets more experience under a different regime and then gets a shot at a Head Coach position. Another indigenous coach will hopefully replace him at Leinster. Allen Clarke at Ospreys will hopefully develop into a head coach. The more successful Irish head coaches abroad the more choice there is when choosing a new head coach at a province or the Ireland squad. Choosing this pathway if he was successful elsewhere any Irish province would head hunt him as in Dan McFarland.
Something that may get overlooked is Dempsey’s work as Leinster ‘A’ coach and with the Academy. It’s no coincidence that so many young players were promoted to the senior squad when Dempsey moved to coach the first team. His ability to develop Leinster’s young players and prepare them for professional rugby has been invaluable to the province and left the Academy in better shape than ever.
It’s a shame to see a coach who is homegrown and understands the culture of the club leave but fair play to him for taking the brave move to go abroad and continue his education as a coach. Hopefully we see him back in Ireland at a higher level in the future.
That’s an odd move. At first glance it looks to be a big step down. I’ve always rated him, as a player and as a coach and I’d understand if he was leaving to take up a head coach role. Any Leinster fan have an inside track on this?
@Jim Demps: Bath are a good club with a strong player base and some excellent elite players. Attack coach seems like it’s probably a promotion on backs coach, at least it’s definitely not a demotion in terms of title. He’ll get new experience playing in a new league with new personnel, and he’s still close to home. I’d say he was offered an enhanced pay packet, too. The move explains itself really…though I’d welcome an inside track.
@Jim Demps: it’s not a step down , Lancaster has pretty much taken over the main attacking role .. and Girv will have learnt loads from him surely . And if Blackadder wants him then that’s another deal of approval .. good luck to him and one day we’ll see him back at Leinster ..
@Jim Demps: think he was contemplating a move to castres(?) last year before signing on for one more year, so I guess it’s no surprise he is moving on. It’s the right time.
I’d imagine Lancaster does a lot of the backs coaching as well so finding a new club where he has more responsibility is important for his development.
@Conor Paddington: backs coach and attack coach are probably much the same in terms of they are both assistants to the head coach. A lot of teams won’t have both. Where I was coming from is that bath are a mediocre premiership side and people were shouting for blackadder to get the chop this season. Compared to Leinster I would have said it was a step down and I would have thought he’d be ready for a head coach role. Best of luck to him. His surname is nearly the same as mine.
@Jim Demps: thought it a bit odd also Jim. European champions with plenty of potential for more silverware doesn’t quite add up.
@Tim Gleeson: It’s not all about winning silverwear. Maybe Dempsey felt a move now was the best way for him to develop as a coach and further his career. Maybe after 26 years at Leinster he just needed a change of scenery.
He’ll be missed. Hopefully a straight swap for Isa
@Chris Mc: O’Driscoll suggested recently that Nacewa’s retirement was as much a case of wanting to go home to New Zealand as a case of age. While Nacewa already has coaching experience and is very much Mr. Leinster, I’d be surprised to see him stay on. Noel McNamara looks the next in line if past form with appointments to the role is anything to go by.
@EK: I’d like to see McNamara focus on the Ireland U20′s and Leinster A team for the time being rather than replacing Dempsey
@Eddie Hekenui: So would I. It was more a comment on the fact that the past person to hold the role had been the former Leinster A coach in Dempsey. McNamara is still quite new to professional rugby and has a few more years to go with his apprenticeship for me before he is looking at promotion to the first team.
That’s a pity his input in warmups reflect the input back of house day to day. Him and Fogerty are excellent in what they do and kind of get overlooked for also joining Leo as players who won champions cup now coaches who won it. Best of luck to him as he hopefully improves his CV
I think O’Driscoll should take up a coaching role for Leinster before the game gets away from him. That’s who I’d like to see replacing Dempsey. He seems a bit wasted in punditry.
@amusing_musings: i don’t think he wants to deal with the day in day out stuff , he’s said as much himself . He is into to the one on one coaching like he did with Henshaw in the past . Just can’t see him in the coaches seat myself . He would be better perhaps in the future when his co-players are no longer around , there are less now than before but still plenty such as the Kearneys and it’s very tough to coach your pals .
@Limón Madrugada: Yeah, fair point. It just seems such a shame that he’s not inspiring the next generation and passing on his knowledge, although to be fair they seem to be doing okay without him. Hopefully you’re right and he gets into the coaching at a later date.
@amusing_musings: he has a lot going on anyway with commentary gigs , ambassadorships , the Ultimate Rugby app. I think his personality is more suited to the management side of things or even an IRFU /World Rugby type role ..