'What a challenge' - Declan Danaher loving Irish leap of faith

This time last year, Declan Danaher wouldn't have envisaged where his career was about to go, but rugby is becoming just as volatile off the pitch, as it is on the field of play.

The Englishman, who played under-19 for rugby for Ireland before representing England Saxons later in his career, has been a one-club man since his teens.

The back row forward played 275 times for London Irish before retiring in 2014, and that was followed by a swift move into coaching at the Exiles, most recently working under Declan Kidney and Les Kiss.

Last summer, the financial chaos in English rugby left him out of a job, as London Irish followed Wasps and Worcester into administration.

A brief spell in Japan followed as he helped their Sevens side ahead of the Asian Games, before the call came from Ireland head coach Scott Bemand, who Danaher had known for some years dating back to their coaching courses.

Not only is the new Ireland assistant switching from men's to women's rugby, he is also adapting to the differences between club and international rugby, which provide varying challenges, opportunities for preparation and access to players.

And although the 44-year-old admits it has been a leap of faith to take this role with Ireland, their performance in Saturday's opening-round Guinness Women's Six Nations defeat in against France has excited him about what's to come.

"I looked at it and thought 'What a challenge, two things I'd never done before'," he says.

"Probably a little bit out of my comfort zone. I was somewhere for 24 years, probably a little bit comfortable and all of a sudden you get an opportunity to do something like this, and I think after Sunday I've reflected on it and think yeah, it was completely the right decision.

"What an