Kyriacou appointed Munster forwards coach

Graham Rowntree's coaching ticket at Munster is continuing to take shape, with Andi Kyriacou confirmed as the province's new forwards coach from next season.

The Englishman moves into the senior management team on a two-year contract having been an Elite Player Development Officer with Munster's Academy since April 2021.

The 39-year-old, who had a brief spell on loan at Munster as a player during the 2006/07 season, will fill the forwards coach role left vacant by Rowntree, who is stepping up to head coach responsibilities next season.

He's the second of Rowntree's assistants to be confirmed in the last week, with another former Munster player Mike Prendergast rejoining the club as attack coach next term.

As a player, Kyricaou's most significant spells were with Saracens and Ulster, as well as his loan spell at Munster, while he also played twice for Ireland A during his time at Ulster from 2009 to 2012.

Since an injury-enforced retirement in 2013, the former hooker has moved into coaching, with spells at Cardiff Rugby, Sale Sharks, Russia Rugby, and Nottingham, working alongside Munster's current academy chief Ian Costello at the English Championship side.

He and Costello were given the coaching responsibilities for Munster's Heineken Champions Cup opener against Wasps this season, when the majority of the squad and coaching staff were left in isolation following their abandoned tour of South Africa.

Rowntree is expected to add further to his backroom team, with Denis Leamy believed to be coming on board before the start of next season.

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