Connacht confirm appointment of Gerard Mullen as backs coach

Connacht Rugby have confirmed the appointment of Gerard Mullen as the club’s backs coach ahead of the 2026/27 season.

The County Kildare native joins the Irish province from Harlequins, where he has spent the last six years as a key figure within their coaching setup.

Mullen led the women’s team to the 2021 Allianz Premier 15s title in his debut season. He then served multiple roles within the academy before joining the senior coaching team in 2023.

Prior to his move to London, he spent six years at Loughborough University, where he was credited with the development of several future international stars.

Mullen replaces attack coach Rod Seib, who will leave the club for a new opportunity overseas at the end of the campaign.

“Connacht is a club I’ve always admired. You can cleary see from the outside, there’s a real sense of togetherness between the team, the staff, and the community here in the west – that makes it special, and I can’t wait to have the opportunity to experience this first-hand,” Mullen said.

“The club is in a great position right now. Exciting squad, staff, new facilities, and I can’t wait to roll my sleeves up and give everything I have to help Connacht keep moving forward. I’m coming in hungry, ready to work extremely hard, and do everything I can to contribute positively to the environment, and the team.”

Connacht head coach Stuart Lancaster says Mullen was the standout choice from a long list of candidates.

“We are delighted to welcome Gerard to join our team for next season. I am certain he will bring a huge amount of quality and enthusiasm to the role. In what was a really competitive interview process he proved his ability to show great alignment with the vision we have for the team moving forward,” the former England boss said.

“He has a great balance of knowledge of the Irish system and also broad experiences outside of Ireland, which I am sure will benefit all the players in our squad next season.”