Smal to rejoin Irish coaching team for New Zealand tour

Gert Smal will rejoin the Ireland management team for next month’s three test series against New Zealand.

The forwards coach missed the final three weeks of the Six Nations due to an eye complaint. However, he has received a clean bill of health from medics and is relishing a return to duties alongside Les Kiss and Declan Kidney.

Smal said: “I’m looking forward to getting back to working with the players again and it was great to meet up with them last week at our squad get-together for the first time since I had to take time off.

“It was a worrying time for my family when I was getting these symptoms affecting my eyesight, and it was clear that I was not going to be able to fully function and deliver the guidance the players needed. We needed to get to the bottom of what was going on and I was advised to take some rest, so it is at times like these that you reluctantly have to listen to the advice.”

He added: “Anthony Foley did a superb job when he stepped in at such short notice as did Paul (O’Connell) and also Rory (Best) and Donnacha Ryan to give that little bit of leadership along with the other forwards.

“I’m feeling really good and fit at the moment and really excited about stepping back onto the training field, which is where you want to be as a coach, and looking forward to the tour to New Zealand. It is one of the toughest places on earth to tour, so we have to be well prepared, but the opportunity to play the World Champions three times in a row does not come along very often and is something that I think everybody is excited about.”

A preliminary squad for the game against the Barbarians in Gloucester on May 29 will be released on Monday with the squad for the tour to New Zealand to be announced a week later.