Craig Hansberry will lead Connacht into the 2026 Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship with former Irish internationals Larissa Muldoon and Fiona Hayes part of the coaching ticket.
Hansberry, who replaced Emer O’Dowd after her two-year term concluded, has been with Connacht Rugby since 2019 and since 2022 has been over their Under-18s, guiding them to interpro success in 2024.
He also led the Ireland U18 squad for the 2026 Women’s Six Nations festival in England, helping the team to three wins from their four fixtures and has previously acted as a forwards’ coach with Connacht’s women’s squad.
Muldoon won 48 caps for Ireland and won two Six Nations titles, including a grand slam on 2013.
In 2023 she moved into full-time coaching as the Connacht representative in the IRFU’s Women’s National Talent Squad (WNTS) pathway staff.
She has also been head coach of the Ireland U18 squad and was backs’ coach at U20 level. She has also worked with the senior women’s team, including as attack and skills coach.
Former team-mate Hayes, who played 24 times for Ireland, has coached with UL Bohs - with whom she guided to back-to-back Energia All-Ireland League titles – and Munster for the 2024 interpros.
Most recently she led Old Belvedere to a fourth-placed finish in the 2025/26 Women’s AIL.
The coaching team will be completed by Cathal Evans, Natalie Fox, Adrian Pilkington, Amy O’Mahoney and Evan Gannon.
