Kidney changes tack with new UCC role

The end of an era was confirmed yesterday with the announcement that Declan Kidney has been appointed as director of sport and physical activity at University College Cork.

The news, while not unexpected, means that for the first time since 1998 the Irish professional game will have to get by without the imprint of a man who delivered two Heineken Cups and a Grand Slam and much more besides.

Kidney enjoyed two spells with Munster, a brief three-month interlude at Newport Gwent Dragons and a season at Leinster, as well as a four-year term as assistant to Eddie O’Sullivan with Ireland, before assuming the head coach role with the national side in 2009.

Unlike O’Sullivan, who took up the role of head coach with the USA Eagles after his time with Ireland, Kidney has eschewed the vagaries of the managerial merry-go-round in favour of a berth close to home and heart.

That said, the decision to take the role with UCC allied to O’Sullivan’s current absence from the coaching circuit, means that the Irish professional game has now lost the input and expertise of its last two head coaches whose combined time with the national team alone adds up to 18 years.

For Kidney, whose time in charge of the Ireland team came to an unsatisfactory end after a 2013 Six Nations bedeviled by a ridiculous run of injuries and a deteriorating run of results, this is the start of a new chapter.

“I am really looking forward to working with the staff in the Department of Sport and Physical Activity, and to learn from the coaches and managers of the 60 clubs that at present are in existence in UCC,” he said.

“I firmly believe in a holistic approach to education,” added the former teacher at Presentation Brothers College in Cork, “ and see physical activity, be it at the highest elite level or participating just for fun, to be an integral part of this experience.”

For UCC, it is undoubtedly something of a coup.

The university plans to add to its current sporting facilities with the development of outdoor sports grounds on the outskirts of the city at Curraheen and a new high performance athlete scholarship scheme has been launched for the 2013/14 academic year.

“We pride ourselves on providing a world-class student experience at UCC and Declan brings a wealth of world class experience to this role,” said Dr Ian Pickup who is head of the student experience at UCC.

“We encourage all of our students to embrace the healthy mind, healthy body philosophy and UCC is fast developing a programme that offers something for everyone. I have no doubt that Declan will provide exceptional leadership in all areas and at all levels of sport development, and we are very excited about UCC’s sporting future.”

Former @irfurugby Head Coach Declan Kidney has been named Director of Sport @UCC today! @Munsterrugby @RTErugby pic.twitter.com/eN0Zi7CDYD

— Inpho Photography (@Inphosports) August 22, 2013