Ulster Rugby has welcomed the appointment of Neill Alcorn as Ulster Women's Provincial Pathway Manager as part of Irish Rugby's new provincial women's rugby leadership structure.
The appointment forms part of a landmark investment by Irish Rugby in the continued development of the women's game, with four provincial Women's Rugby leadership roles established to strengthen player pathways and support growth across all levels of the sport.
The successful candidates announced by Irish Rugby are:
- Connacht: Larissa Muldoon
- Leinster: Derek Maybury
- Munster: Niamh Briggs
- Ulster: Neill Alcorn
The newly appointed leaders will form an integrated provincial network tasked with designing and delivering connected player pathways, supporting the progression of female players aged 16-23 through to the senior game. The full-time roles sit at the intersection of domestic rugby, age-grade development and performance pathways, helping to create a sustainable and aligned system nationwide.
For Ulster, Alcorn's appointment represents the continuation of his involvement in both provincial and national pathway programmes.
Alcorn has been involved with the Ulster Women's programme since 2019 and was appointed Head Coach of the Ulster Senior Women's team ahead of the 2021/22 season. Prior to that, he held a number of development roles within Ulster Rugby, working across club, schools and age-grade rugby programmes.
In 2023, Alcorn joined the IRFU Women's National Talent Squad (WNTS) as a Women's Talent Coach, supporting the development of players within the national pathway system.
Alongside his pathway responsibilities, Alcorn has served as Head Coach of the Wolfhounds in the Celtic Challenge since the competition's inception. During that period, the Wolfhounds have won three Celtic Challenge titles.
In addition to their provincial remit, the appointments mark a significant evolution of the wider women's performance ecosystem. Three of the successful candidates – Muldoon, Briggs and Alcorn – transition from roles within the Women's National Talent Squad and associated pathway programmes, demonstrating both the strength of existing structures and the growing demand for experienced leadership within the women's game.
As a result, Irish Rugby has confirmed that the three WNTS roles vacated will now be advertised, creating additional opportunities for coaches and practitioners to engage with high-performance women's rugby at an earlier stage of the talent pathway.
Expanding the Pathway
The newly created provincial structure is designed to deliver a sustainable women's player pathway spanning age-grade and senior rugby. By embedding dedicated leadership roles within each province, Irish Rugby aims to ensure consistency in standards, greater alignment between regions and enhanced player experiences.
The transition of experienced personnel into these roles represents a natural progression in the development of the system while simultaneously creating opportunities within the WNTS and other national development programmes that are critical to identifying and nurturing emerging talent.
A Unified National Approach
The introduction of these four leadership roles reflects a coordinated national approach to developing women's rugby, with each province adapting the role to its specific needs while contributing to a shared vision for growth.
Irish Rugby Head of Women's Strategy, Lynne Cantwell, said:
"These appointments represent a hugely important step forward for the women and girls' game in Ireland. By establishing dedicated leadership roles in each province that are centrally connected through Irish Rugby, we are building the structures needed to support players at every stage of their journey, within a connected system of people across domestic, pathway and performance rugby.
"Just as importantly, the movement of experienced people into these positions creates new opportunities within our national talent programmes. That ripple effect strengthens the entire system—from emerging players to the coaches and performance support staff who support them—and ensures we continue to build depth and sustainability across women's rugby.
"It has been a difficult week for women's rugby in Ireland following the loss of Philip 'Goose' Doyle who was so influential in women's rugby. Knowing him as we did, we know he would be happy to see the signs of growth in the game through the roles being announced, reflecting progress being made and building on the legacy he leaves."
Driving the Future of the Women's Game
The creation of these provincial leadership roles reflects Irish Rugby's commitment to building a connected and sustainable player pathway for women and girls across Ireland.
As participation continues to grow and the performance pathway evolves, the establishment of a coordinated provincial leadership network aims to strengthen the links between grassroots, age-grade and performance rugby, while creating greater opportunities for players, coaches and support staff throughout the game.
For Ulster Rugby, Alcorn's appointment provides dedicated leadership for the continued development of the women's pathway across the province and strengthens the connection between local programmes and the national performance system.