New Leinster head coach and Clare All-Ireland winning captain shaped by same man

Fascinating!

The Bordeaux-Begles attack coach has previously worked with underage Leinster sides, been head coach of the Ireland U20s, and backs coach with South African side the Sharks, before heading to France, where he has won back-to-back Champions Cup titles.

Although he recently signed a contract with the French side until 2029, Leinster are expected to buy it out.

A proud Clare man, McNamara also has a connection with Patrick Donnellan, who captained the Banner county to All-Ireland hurling glory back in 2013.

Both men played for Kilkishen boys football team together, where they punched above their weight against the likes of Shannon and Ennis.

In a fantastic interview with the The42, McNamara spoke about the impact one particular man had on him.

Their coach Gerry Burke, from Mullingar, influenced the boys, not just on the pitch, but off it as well, as McNamara explained: “A great man. As a child you don’t think too deeply about things.

“It shaped me, those games. He coached us about life not just football."

Burke also shared his thoughts, when he found out the McNamara had won a Six Nations Grand Slam as head coach of the Ireland U20s.

He said: “He’s after doing what?

“'So, that’s the same Noel McNamara', I said to myself. Jeez, I was stunned. Like, he was incredibly driven as a kid, sincere, attentive, coachable; likeable. I knew he’d go places.”