Ulster snatch late win as Munster, Leinster and Connacht suffer defeats, with Pete Wilkins on sick leave
Simon Easterby is expected to be confirmed as the British & Irish Lions defence coach this week. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty ImagesAs with Emerging Ireland tours and Ireland A games, the IRFU will dip into the provinces to supplement the coaching ticket for the games against Georgia and Portugal, with the likes of Mike Prendergast, Denis Leamy and Sean O’Brien all to be potentially involved.
Pete Wilkins missed Connacht’s trip to Swansea, with scrum and contact coach Colm Tucker taking over the reins. Wilkins has been on sick leave for more than a week and his absence was not in any way performance related. He remains under contract as head coach until at least the end of next season. “The Italians have got a cultural identity in terms of how they play their game,” said head coach Scott Bemand after Saturday’s defeat, following which Italy restricted England to a 38-7 win on Sunday in York.
But as the squad captain Edel McMahon stressed, Ireland need to remain grounded too and ensure they produce an improved performance next week in Parma against opponents who have beaten them in each of the last two seasons.
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