Munster turn to much-travelled coach to bolster backroom team

Highly-experienced former England international Alex Codling has joined Munster as a forwards coach consultant.

The 51-year-old will combine the role with his current job as Ireland Women’s forwards coach while Munster look for a long-term appointment. Codling joined the Ireland set-up at the beginning of this season and worked with the squad during their successful WXV1 campaign.

In the 18 years since his playing days came to an end, the former lock has worked in Wales, England, Northern Ireland and France, alongside current England defence coach Joe El-Abd at Oyonnax, predominantly as a lineout specialist/forwards coach. But he has been a head coach, too, most recently at Newcastle, where it didn’t work out for either him or the Falcons.

Codling’s most high-profile appointment was as an assistant to Eddie Jones with England in the summer of 2021. Like his one-cap England playing career, it didn’t last long.

Munster have lost a lot of forwards coaching expertise with the departure of head coach Graham Rowntree at the end of October and, a few days ago, forwards coach Andi Kyriacou.

Codling is stepping in to fill the void and fans of the Irish province will hope that the former Ulster man can quickly stamp his mark on the lineout, which has a success rate of just 79%, the joint-second worst in the United Rugby Championship.