David Humphreys has been confirmed as the new performance director of the IRFU, replacing David Nucifora who will step down next year.
The former Ireland out-half will link up with the IRFU in March of 2024 and will work alongside Nucifora in the role until the summer, with the outgoing director leaving Irish rugby following the Paris Olympic Games.
Humphreys, who won 72 caps for Ireland in his playing career, has previously served as director of rugby for both his native Ulster and Gloucester, and currently works as director of performance operations with the England and Wales Cricket Board.
"In David Humphreys we know we have found someone who believes passionately in Irish Rugby and has the expertise, skills, and desire to keep us competitive on the world stage," IRFU CEO Kevin Potts said.
"Our search took us globally and ultimately David was the stand-out candidate.
"David's journey from a schools player to representing his province and then to the national game ideally places him to understand the needs of the player. His local knowledge and 30 years' experience of elite rugby and immersion in high performance, previously with Cricket Ireland's High Performance Committee and now his current role with the England & Wales Cricket Board, will bring about enormous benefits and we are excited for the next stage in our evolution."
Nucifora's exit has been planned for some time, with the Australian confirming in October 2022 that a succession plan was being put in place for his departure.
The former Brumbies coach will leave Irish rugby after 10 years in which he has overseen three men's Six Nations titles, one women's Six Nations title and the growth of the Irish Rugby Sevens programme, with both the men's and women's teams qualifying for the Olympic Games next year.
"I would like to thank David Nucifora for the outstanding contribution he has made in building our high performance unit over almost a decade and wish him every success in his future endeavours," Potts added.
"Of course, before he concludes, there is still much to be done this season, including the upcoming 2024 Six Nations Championship for our Men, Women and U20s as well as preparing our Sevens teams for the Paris Olympics.
💬 "I think it's a good appointment"@bernardjackman has been speaking to @GameOn2FM about the credentials David Humphreys will bring to the role of performance director of the IRFU when he takes up the position next year https://t.co/Tu5OBwrON7 #rterugby pic.twitter.com/RcwvtkLSnl
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) November 1, 2023
"He will leave a solid foundation for David Humphreys to build upon and we are grateful for his commitment to working with his successor through next Spring, ensuring a smooth handover of this key role for Irish Rugby."
After retiring from playing in 2008, Humphreys spent six more seasons at Ulster, first as operations director before becoming director of rugby in 2009 and oversaw their runs to the Champions Cup final in 2012 and the Pro12 decider in 2013.
A six-year spell as director of rugby with Gloucester followed, while he also linked up with Georgia in a consultancy roll in 2020, before his current job with the ECB in February of this year.
"I was fortunate to have a wonderful playing career with Ireland and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to play a part in another chapter of Irish Rugby's history," the 52-year-old said.
"This role is the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition and I look forward to building on the successful systems put in place by David Nucifora, who has been a driving force behind Irish Rugby for ten years.
"The chance now to further develop the pathways in the Men's and Women's game hugely excites me and I am really looking forward to working with all the coaches, provinces, players, and backroom teams to ensure that Irish Rugby continues to go from strength to strength."
The performance director role will be wide-ranging, with the former Ireland out-half set to be responsible for the long-term strategy of the game in Ireland.
Among the many responsibilities for Humphreys will be dealing with central contracts for Ireland's frontline internationals, and greenlighting signings and appointments across the four professional sides, while there will also be heavy scrutiny on his approach to the women's XVs game which has regressed dramatically in recent seasons.
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