Gaffney poised to join Cheika’s Leinster backroom

ALAN GAFFNEY is likely to return to Ireland as assistant to Leinster coach Michael Cheika — and not as backs coach with Ireland.

Gaffney, an assistant coach to Matt Williams for two seasons in Dublin, top man in Munster for almost the same time and an assistant with Australia under Eddie Jones, is back in the frame to take over as assistant to Cheika following the resignation of David Knox.

Speculation mounted yesterday that Gaffney had decided to return to Ireland from Saracens at the end of the season where he had been director of rugby for the last two years.

Leinster remained tight-lipped last night on Gaffney’s next move. Chief executive Mick Dalton was unavailable for comment and Gaffney could not be contacted either.

However, Saracens spokesperson Mike Hartwell admitted: “I don’t think it’s any secret that Alan and (his wife) Lorraine would love a move back to Ireland. He was very happy there for a good few years.”

The IRFU plan to appoint a specialist backs coach in line with the recommendations of the Genesis report, but that’s now unlikely to be the affable Aussie.

Meanwhile the 2007 Rugby World Cup has been confirmed as the sport’s global record-breaker.

The six-week tournament in France last autumn smashed all previous attendance and broadcast figures set during Rugby World Cup’s 20-year history. More than two million people attended a Rugby World Cup for the first time, generating an average match attendance of 47,000 for 48 fixtures.

Worldwide television viewing figures also increased considerably on the previous tournament in Australia in 2003.

International Rugby Board chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “Rugby World Cup 2007 was the biggest sporting event to be staged last year.

“Mirroring the massive demand for public ticket sales, the tournament’s travel and hospitality programme exceeded 100,000 sales — which is more than the 1999 and 2003 tournaments combined.

“It is also significant to note that RWC 2007 matches were the top six-viewed programmes of any description in France during 2007.

“More than 20 million viewers in France tuned in to watch the France versus England semi-final at Stade de France, bettering the figure achieved for the soccer World Cup final involving France at the same stadium in 1998.

“Coverage of the England versus South Africa final attracted the highest viewing figures for a single programme in the UK in 2007, with nearly 17 million tuning in.”