Mark Sexton departure leaves Connacht in 'frustrating' and familiar territory

While Connacht have struggled for consistency on the pitch in recent seasons, there has been a similar lack of stability on their coaching ticket.

Pete Wilkins and the province's head of rugby operations Tim Allnutt will go back to the market again for an addition to their coaching staff, after it was confirmed yesterday that attack coach Mark Sexton would be leaving at the end of the season, with Ulster expected to announce his appointment in the coming days or weeks.

There may also be a second hole to fill on the coaching ticket this summer. The Irish Independent reported yesterday that scrum coach Cullie Tucker is being lined up by Munster to come on board for next season to bolster their backroom staff, which is being reshuffled following the departure of Graham Rowntree and Andi Kyriacou in recent months.

Wilkins denied those reports yesterday, but any denial has to be taken with a pinch of salt. Almost two years ago to the day, former head coach Andy Friend suggested there wouldn’t be another exit after the previous attack coach, Mossy Lawler, had confirmed he would be moving to Munster, before forwards coach Dewald Senekal followed he and Friend out the door that summer.

It left them needing to perform major reconstructive surgery on their coaching ticket in the summer of 2023; Wilkins moved up to the head coach role, Sexton joined the senior coaching staff, while Scott Fardy and John Muldoon were hired to work with the defence and forwards.

Just over 18 months later, that group has been split up, with one, or maybe even two new bodies needed on the ticket.

A coaching turnover isn’t an issue that is exclusive to Connacht, with Munster, Ulster and Leinster all having to make high-profile hirings in recent seasons.

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