From Clare to Bordeaux via Durban - McNamara keen to get best out of game's elite 

Newly-installed Bordeaux attack coach Noel McNamara has no illusions about the scale of the battle the French side face in Galway.

NEW SURROUNDINGS: Former Sharks attack and backs coach Noel McNamara. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Top 14 side Bordeaux won’t shy away from ‘contesting everything’ for the full 80 minutes when they face Connacht at The Sportsground tonight.

Newly-installed attack coach Noel McNamara, who worked with Ireland’s age-grade players before a spell with South African side Sharks between 2021 and the end of last season, has no illusions about the scale of the battle the French side face in Galway in the opening round of the Champions Cup.

“Connacht’s strength over the last number of seasons has been their ability to contest everything,” he said.  “It’s part of the DNA of the club to fight and contest everything. That’s the reality when you face Connacht – it's understanding that you’re going to have to fight very, very hard, nothing is going to come cheaply, and it’s having the mentality and the mindset to do that for 80 minutes.” 

But, having seen Bordeaux come from behind to win at Oyonnax in the snow in the dying minutes of their Top 14 match last Saturday, he’s confident that his side, like Leinster in the URC last week, have the ability and the work ethic to bag a valuable opening-night win.

“We have a lot of faith in the quality of our players and our ability to take advantage of opportunities. But you’ve got to fight very hard to get them. We’re going to see a ferocious fight at the breakdown.” 

Bordeaux have their full complement of internationals back in harness after the World Cup: “I can’t speak highly enough of the diligence of the French internationals in terms of how they've applied themselves since they’ve rejoined the club and their desire to get up to speed, their desire to get better.” 

McNamara was recruited as Bordeaux’s attack coach by new manager Yannick Bru, who worked with the Clare man at Sharks last season.

“It was the right time for me and my family,” he said. “The nature of the URC, particularly for South African teams, is there is a lot of travel, a lot of time away from home. At times it’s three and four week blocks together.” 

But, he said the clincher was the chance to work with the quality roster of players on the books at Chaban-Delmas. 

“Do I believe this group is capable of winning trophies? Yes, I do, and I think that's the challenge. That's the ambition. We're not shying away from that ambition. But equally it's important to recognise all the challenges that come with that. Everybody's got similar ambitions. So, I think for us it's about continuing to improve. Everybody can have lofty ambitions and everybody can have stated goals, but what will matter is how you go about your business on a daily basis?

“It'll be the incremental process of improvement and it'll be winning games. The reality is to surf the big wave. That’s in June. If that’s your focus, maybe you lose sight of what’s important – getting better every day, every training session. Seeing that improvement in games and putting together positive performances weekend on weekend.”