DENIS LEAMY HAS described his first couple of months back at Munster as “very exciting” – but added there is much work to be done as the province gear up for the new United Rugby Championship season.

Leamy returned to Munster this season after spending three years with Leinster, initially joining as an elite player development officer before stepping up to the position of contact skills coach in 2021.

He’s now back at Munster as part of Graham Rowntree’s new-look coaching team, taking on the role of defence coach with his home province.

“(It’s been) Very interesting from the point of view of coming back to my home province, relocating from a work point of view, a shorter commute and more time with my family which is really good,” Leamy said.

“Just getting to know people again, getting to know the new players and new staff. It’s been very exciting, it’s been hugely interesting and engaging, you bounce out of bed every morning and there’s loads of work to be done.”

Leamy – a two-time Heineken Cup winner during his playing days with the province – added that he thought “long and hard” about his options before deciding to move back to Munster.

“There was loads to think about. It wasn’t an offer I was really expecting. I was aware that Munster were looking for a new coaching team, I heard nothing for a long, long time so I presumed there was a process going on with other people.

I was working in a really good environment with Leinster and was very happy in that role. But when the chance came it was a big opportunity to take over a defensive brief, putting your own stamp on that brief, and it was a promotion in effect. I thought long and hard about it, and it was the right decision for me.

“Leinster were very accommodating in allowing me to go back down the road. Leo [Cullen] understood where I was coming from in terms of family, and being from Munster, he was very good in allowing that to happen. I was very appreciative from all sides, for Munster giving me the offer, it was a huge honour to be given the offer and a massive opportunity for me, one that I’m really enjoying.

“I’ve always been a defensive coach. I worked as a contact skills coach in Leinster with goal-line D and the tackle in mind as well in that brief. I was the Irish U20s defence coach so it’s an area that I really enjoy and as a player I really enjoyed that side of the game.

“It’s something that I’m very passionate about and it’s very interesting from the point of view of setting up your system, you know, trying to coach players within that system in terms of their roles around the ruck, in terms of their roles out wide, first phase, off lineout, off scrum. So I’ve found it very, very interesting and hopefully we’re building a nice, tight unit that can be successful.”

Munster start the new URC campaign with a trip to play Cardiff on Saturday, taking in another away game against the Dragons on 25 September before welcoming Zebre Parma to Musgrave Park on 1 October.

“It’s a tough challenge, it really is. Going away from home, going to Wales, Cardiff play very fast, attractive rugby. When they get into their style of play they cause a lot of trouble around the pitch. They can hit you up close, out wide, they are a really, really good side.

“We’ve been together only a number of weeks, that’s the reality of it. It’s a big game on Saturday, and it’s one that we will go after very, very hard. We have to be realistic in that it will take a little bit of time to bed in and gel. We’ll go all guns blazing but there’s a big picture here as well, and whatever the result is on Saturday we move on and get better and better.”

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