Sexton to join Connacht as assistant attack coach

Ireland U20s attack coach Mark Sexton is set to join Connacht as an assistant attack coach, the province have confirmed.

Sexton – a younger brother of Ireland flyhalf Johnny – will assist current head coach Pete Wilkins, who will retain overall responsibility for the side’s attack next season.

Sexton currently works with the Connacht academy as an Elite Player Development Officer in addition to the attack coach role he has assumed for the last two Grand Slam winning with the Ireland U20s.

His appointment completes the new coaching ticket for Connacht Rugby next season.

Wilkins says: “Mark’s appointment is another positive step for us. He’s an excellent coach who we know very well and who has benefitted from his experience with our Academy and with the Ireland U20s. Mark has a strong understanding of what we are trying to do from an attacking point of view and more importantly how we can move this forward again next season. His knowledge of our younger players – both in the Academy and those who have recently graduated to our Pro team is another valuable perspective to have within our management team and I look forward to working closely with him in his new role.

With the coaching team now complete, I’m incredibly excited to get going for next season and to build on the progress we have made over the last few years. We’ve assembled a group that provides a good balance of continuity and change, both within the management team and within the squad. Coupled with our return to the Champions Cup there is a lot to look forward to and the hard work begins when we gather for pre-season training in early July.”