Conboy Appointed Connacht Academy EPDO
Connacht Rugby and the IRFU have announced the appointment of Ambrose Conboy to the role of Elite Player Development Officer with the province.
Following the promotion of Jimmy Duffy to Connacht forwards Coach this season, the Galway-born Ambrose Conboy, who was head coach of the Connacht Under-18s last season, will take up the Connacht Academy EPDO position.
Conboy’s background includes captaining Galwegians RFC from 2003 to 2006 as well as coaching Our Lady’s Boys Club RFC for a four-year stint that included reaching the All Ireland qualifiers in 2014.
Prior to this, he was head coach of the Connacht Juniors in 2012, successfully retaining the Junior Interprovincial title. The Salthill man most recently held the role of Rugby Master and teacher at St. Joseph’s College, ‘The Bish’, secondary school in Galway.
Over the last two years he has worked with national scrum coach Greg Feek as part of the IRFU elite scrummaging programme and he recently spent time in New Zealand at both the Otago Highlanders and Auckland Blues observing coaches such as Jamie Joseph, Tony Brown, John Kirwan and Graham Henry.
In his new role at Connacht, Conboy will work with Academy manager Nigel Carolan and EPDO Mossy Lawler with whom he will also coach the Connacht Under-20 side. Within the Academy and Sub Academy system, he will be primarily responsible for the development of the young forwards.
Commenting from the Sportsground where he joined the team this week, he said: “I am delighted to be joining the Connacht Academy set-up where there is a fantastic culture and top class structures in place for player development on and off the pitch.
“I have worked with many of these young players in the past so I’m really excited to continue overseeing their progress to an elite level.”
CONNACHT ACADEMY STAFF –
Academy Manager: Nigel Carolan
Elite Player Development Officer: Mossy Lawler
Elite Player Development Officer: Ambrose Conboy
Lead Strength & Conditioning: Andrew Murphy
Physiotherapist: Rachel Wyer
Performance Analyst: Jim Herring
Sub Academy S&C Coach: Micheál Devane
Performance Nutritionist: Marcus Shortall
Personal Development: Aidan O’Flynn