'Fierce competitor': Denis Leamy joins the Cullen Leinster set-up

Leinster have appointed 2009 Ireland Grand Slam winner Denis Leamy as their new contact skills coach following the summer departure of Hugh Hogan, who left to become defence coach at URC rivals Scarlets. 

Now 39, Leamy had been working as an elite player development officer for Leinster since October 2019 but he now joins the senior coaching team under Leo Cullen which features Stuart Lancaster, Robin McBryde, Felipe Contepomi and Emmet Farrell.

It was 2012 when Leamy, a two-time European champion as a Munster back-rower, retired from playing at the age of just 30 due to a hip injury. He said: “I’m thrilled to be Leinster’s new contact skills coach. It is my hope to build on the great work that Hugh Hogan has done over the last four years or so.

What happened when RugbyPass went behind the scenes at the 2018 PRO14 final between Leinster and Scarlets

What happened when RugbyPass went behind the scenes at the 2018 PRO14 final between Leinster and Scarlets

“I would like to thank Leinster for this opportunity. It’s an honour to be working with one of Europe’s premier clubs and I’m very much looking forward to the challenge ahead in the coming seasons.”

Cullen added: “Denis has been with us and in and around Leinster for a few years now so he is well established and is a familiar face, in particular working with some of our younger players in their development. He has been a huge asset to the club.

'Unfortunately, he [Erasmus] maybe has changed things & not for the better. He definitely questioned the whole respect the referee conversation that we are so proud of as a rugby community.' @BrianODriscoll talks to @heagneyl ??? #Springboks #urc #lionshttps://t.co/yJ7EyaZvXj

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 26, 2021

“The contact skills role is something we see as hugely important to the overall success of the senior team on a number of fronts. Denis is someone who has achieved and experienced so much in terms of his own playing career and has accumulated vast knowledge over the years. He was a fierce competitor on the field and he will be a great role model for our current crop of players. We are all very excited to see what he can bring to the role.”

Leamy served his coaching apprenticeship at Rockwell College, with Garryowen in the All-Ireland League and with Munster underage teams before coaching Cashel and helping the Tipperary hurlers to win the 2016 All-Ireland hurling title. In more recent times he was involved with the Leinster age-grade sides and Leinster A, while he was also involved with the Ireland U20s as defence coach at the 2021 Six Nations. 

"Everywhere you find a reference to New South Wales or the Waratahs can you change it to Leinster?"

– Leinster's painful year with Gary Ella in charge has been vividly recounted by Willie Anderson, the Australian's assistant, in a sparkling new book https://t.co/pbNTHxIeEX

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 3, 2021