### Head Coach - Murray Houston
Murray leads up our Women’s team as Head Coach for the second year running. He moved over from Scotland with his wife three years ago, where he had previously been Head Coach for the University of Glasgow’s women’s team. “I wanted to become a coach because I feel I could help people become better rugby players, and enjoy watching players develop and improve.” When asked what he is looking forward to most in this year’s Interprovincial Series, he added, “I love the growth and competition in this series. I think the fact that we are hosting the finals here in Kingspan Stadium is amazing and will be a fantastic day.” His advice to the players for the upcoming tournament is to “have high expectations of yourself, because we are more than capable of achieving.”
### Scrum and Defence Coach - Eric O’Sullivan
Our very own loosehead prop, Eric O’Sullivan leads up scrum and defence on the coaching panel. “Coaching wasn’t something I had given much consideration” Eric recalls, “Neil Alcorn reached out to me to get involved to help with the scrum a few years ago, and I’ve been involved ever since. I’ve completed the IRFU High Performance Coaching course to develop as a coach to allow me to get more involved in that side of the game.” When asked on what he is most looking forward to in this year’s competition, Eric enthused, “I’m really excited to see the team continue to develop on some really good performances last season and hopefully see the girls’ hard work over the summer bring them to a new level this series.” His advice to the team this year is “Enjoy the challenge. We all start playing to have fun so don’t lose sight of that just because the level you’re playing at has changed.”
### Backs Coach - Grace Davitt
Rugby legend, Grace Davitt joins the team as Backs Coach. Grace played for Ulster and Leinster, and has over 10 years experience playing for Ireland under her belt. Now she is a mechanical engineer by day and rugby coach by night. “I wanted to become a coach because I wanted other women and girls to get the chance of enjoying rugby as much as I have. I had so many people helping me along the way, so coaching seemed like a great way to help the next generation.” Davitt added, “I can’t wait to see all the hard work the players have put in come to fruition during this competition, and also the growth of the competition and support for women’s rugby. My advice to the players is to believe in yourself and trust that you have put all the work in, so when it comes to the game, you relish the opportunity to play.”
### Team Manager - Marianne Breen
Marianne is our Team Manager this year, alongside being one of our Rugby Participation Officers. When asked why she got involved, she laughs, “Because Murray begged me to! Seriously though, I don’t play anymore and this is a great way to stay involved in the sport and a fantastic opportunity to meet new people all the time.” Marianne said she is looking forward to watching the players put their hard work into practice in this competition and her advice to them all is “Back yourself, trust your teammates and enjoy the moment.”
### Athletic Development - Kevin Gallagher
Kevin Gallagher leads up Athletic Development. He brings with him a vast wealth of knowledge and experience having worked with athletes across numerous sports at regional, national and international levels, including at the Commonwealth Games. Kevin recalls it was former national fitness coach, Paul Pook that got him interested in AD. “I read his book about conditioning for rugby at the turn of the century. This inspired me to return to university, eventually, leading me to complete a master’s degree in strength and conditioning.” Focusing on this year’s competition, Kevin added, “The squad has worked really hard over the pre-season. Hopefully this will transition into some quality performances on the pitch.”
### Physio - Naomi Hamilton
Our team’s physio this year is Naomi Hamilton, her fourth year working with the Senior Women’s team. “I find it really rewarding seeing players and the whole team reaching their full sporting potential, and I love being able to support that.” When asked about what she is looking most forward to in this upcoming competition, Naomi added “I am really excited to see the new talent coming through within the women’s game and hopefully lots of closely fought matches. I hope the girls really relish the challenge and enjoy their experience.”
