Profiles: Munster Backroom Staff

DIRECTOR OF RUGBY: DECLAN KIDNEY

…The Corkman coached the Ireland Under-19s to the FIRA World Cup title in 1998…Also guided the Ireland Schools side to a Triple Crown and the Ireland ‘A’ team to their first Triple Crown in 2000…Former teacher and career guidance officer at Presentation Brothers College, Cork…Played for UCC as a student…Coached the PBC Juniors and Seniors…Coached both Dolphin – to promotion to Division One in 1996/97 – and Munster in the 1990s – took over at Munster in 1996, guding them to two Heineken Cup finals and a Celtic League decider before leaving in 2002…Worked as assistant to Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan…Coached Leinster for a season in 2004/05…

TEAM MANAGER: JERRY HOLLAND

…Took over as Munster team manager in July 2000, replacing Brian O’Brien who became then Ireland manager…Born in Cork in November 1955…Previously coached Munster and played for the province and Ireland as a second row…Played three times for Ireland between 1981 and 1986 – against South Africa (2) and Wales…Was Ireland ‘A’ manager during the 1998/99 season…

ASSISTANT COACH: JIM WILLIAMS

…Former Australian international – known as ‘Seamus’ down Munster way…Captained Munster, whom he joined in 2001, to a Celtic League title in 2003…The 37-year-old was born in Young in New South Wales…One of eight children, he joined the army when he was 17, also became a qualified plumber…Previously played rugby league and operated as a winger in union before switching to the back row…Helped the ACT Brumbies to the Super 12 championship…Capped 14 times by the Wallabies as a flanker – won a World Cup medal in 1999…Came off the bench against Ireland in June 1999 to win his first Test cap…Scored two tries against Argentina in 2000 as his only Test points…Retired from playing last year, taking up a coaching position with Munster for this season…Played 30 times for Munster in the Heineken Cup – scoring 3 tries against Gloucester, Treviso and Wasps…

FORWARDS COACH: BRIAN HICKEY

…Coached previously at Cork Constitution, UCC and Young Munster…Is a qualified dentist…Played for London Irish for six seasons, operating as a flanker and full-back…Was Munster assistant coach under Alan Gaffney…

BACKS COACH: TONY MCMAHON

…Australian-born…Played rugby league for the Brisbane Broncos and union for Eastern District…The 33-year-old was the Australian ‘A’ team’s coach in 2003 and arrived in Munster via Japan…Is a teacher by profession…

SCRUM COACH: PAUL MCCARTHY

…Is in his fourth season as a coach with Munster…Born in Cork in August 1963…Played for Cork Constitution, Munster, Ireland and the Barbarians during his career…Capped five times by Ireland between 1992 and 1993 – lining out against New Zealand (2), Australia, Scotland and Romania…A talented prop, he fitted in at both loosehead and tighthead…

VIDEO ANALYST: GEORGE MURRAY

…Started his rugby career playing for Presentation College Bray…Played three seasons at scrum half for Greystones…Also had a spell with Shannon, and is currently with junior side Clanwilliam…the 26-year-old originally moved to Munster having been a development officer with Leinster…Was video analyst for the Ireland Under-21s at the 2005 World Cup…

FITNESS COACH: DAMIAN MEDNIS

…From Brisbane, Australia…The 39-year-old joined Munster two years ago…Had a 10-year stint with the Queensland Reds…Was a high jumper who missed out on performing at the 1988 Olympics as Australia did not send a high jumping team to Seoul…Nicknamed ‘Chopper’ when he came to Munster as he accidentally almost chopped a young player’s finger off in an incident involving a door hinge…

FITNESS COACH: AIDAN O’CONNELL

…Hails from Ballyclough in Cork…Is in his second season with Munster after a three-year stint with Leinster…Educated at UCC, Edinburgh University and Yale…Aged 31, he is fitness advisor to the Ireland ‘A’ team for next month’s Churchill Cup…

FITNESS COACH: FERGAL O’CALLAGHAN

…Rowed for Ireland as a lightweight between 1992 and 1994…Has been with Munster for seven years…Earned a Sports and Exercise degree from the University of Limerick…Is aged 37…

STRENGTH COACH: SEAN WHITNEY

…Is in his second season with Munster…The Dubliner, 46, was previously a national throwing coach with the BLE (now Athletics Ireland)…Is married to a former Miss Ireland bodybuilder…

PHYSIOTHERAPIST: KIRSTY PEACOCK

…Born in Newcastle, England…Earned qualifications from Salford University and Trinity College Dublin…Famously arrived in Ireland in 1996 to do a sports injury course and has been here ever since…Has been with Munster for six seasons – once described her job with the province as ‘like working with forty brothers’…Previously rowed for Ireland and was physiotherapist to the Irish rowing squad between 1998 and 2000…

PHYSIOTHERAPIST: NICK GREEN

…Hails from New South Wales…Is in his second season with Munster…A talented musician, he previously played hockey in Australia…

MASSEUR: DAVE REVINS

…The 49-year-old lives in Glanmire, Cork, where he has a practice at his home…This is his second season with Munster…Presuaded to become a ‘rub man’ by members of his cycling club in Youghal…Was used by Australia for their tour of Ireland last autumn…Has also been a masseur for the Sarsfields GAA club…

OPERATIONS MANAGER: BRYAN MURPHY

…A former scrum half with UCC and Highfield…Works as a business development manager with Western International…Aged 39, he is in his second year as Munster’s operations manager having been team secretary from 1993 and 1995…Is also team secretary to the Munster Under-21s currently…

KIT MANAGER: JACK KIELY

…A member of Shannon RFC and kit man for the Limerick club’s senior squad…the 52-year-old assisted the Ireland Under-21s this season…Is a former captain of the Athlunkard Boat Club…

MEDIA MANAGER: PAT GERAGHTY

…Has been with Munster since 2000 – previously worked as Leinster’s PRO…He deals with press requests for interviews, arranges player appearances, press conferences and ensures that the Munster website is kept up to date…Aged 51, he is a Kildare man…

DOCTOR: MICHAEL SHINKWIN

…Hails from Clonakilty but has been living in Limerick for the past 15 years…Aged 51, he has a general practice in Limerick…A UCC graduate…Is assisted at Munster by Doctor Tadhg O’Sullivan and Doctor Eanna Falvey…