London Irish Rugby Club Director Brian Smith has welcomed Mark Tainton as their new skills and kicking coach for the new season of 2013-14. Smith sounded hopeful as he showed his confidence in Smith saying that his experience shall come in handy for the kickers in the team as well as improve the core skills of each and every player in their squad. Brian Smith is a former Bristol fly-half who has previously worked with the English national team before coaching Ireland for ten years as the technical kicking coach with Ronan O’Gara and Johnny Sexton. Mark Tainton sounded positive on his assignment at London Irish expressing delight at the occasion.
Earlier in the month Steve Walsh, Andre Quinn and Brian O’Leary were added as the Backroom staff for the upcoming season. Quinn took up as the strength and conditioning coach along with Walsh, who is hugely experienced in the Premiership as a coach. Brian O’Leary joined as the head of medical sciences from his former club Ospreys. London Irish executive chairman David Fitzgerald was optimistic about the huge wealth of experience that these new recruitments are going to bring to his club
The team is clearly aiming for higher success and it is quite clear from their strategies that they are paying equal attention to the people in the dressing room as towards the players who are going to be playing on the ground. The fans shall be hopeful of a repeat if not better performance of their club than the last season. The Exiles have also confirmed the signing of Tom Gallagher as the physiotherapist and Jonathan Shelbourne as the senior analyst of the club. Each of these signings might prove crucial in the long season where each team are required to be at their best physically, mentally and strategically.