Shannon RFC has moved quickly to fill the head coach vacancy left after the departure of Colm Tucker last week. After a meeting of the Clubs executive committee this evening, it has been revealed that 3 times All Ireland league winner with Shannon, Stephen Keogh is to become their new player/ head coach.
Club Chairman Jack Keane was buoyant about the appointment and explained the club’s reasoning behind the it, “Stephen may not have been the obvious choice to everybody given he was still contracted to Leinster, but once we heard that he may have been available, we jumped at the opportunity to speak with him.
“The fact that Stephen is coming to Shannon as a player coach means that we are getting the best of both worlds, and we are delighted at this exciting appointment. With a wealth of experience at Heineken cup, Magners League and of course AIL level, Stephen will no doubt bring a whole new dimension to our game here in Shannon and bring us the rewards that our members demand”
Mr Keane added, “Stephen’s previous experience of three years with Shannon is an added bonus, and he certainly knows the standards we have, and of course expect in the club. We wish Stephen the very best for his new career and we will now begin to complete our management structure for next year”.
29 year old Stephen Keogh departure from Leinster rugby comes after he garnered a vault of experience at the highest level, beginning with the Irish schools and moving up the ranks through the U/19’s and U/21’s. He initially played with Munster from 2003 and earned 54 caps with his native province, before making the switch to Leinster at the end of the 2006 season where he went on to win a further 85 provincial caps for his new side.
He joined Shannon initially from UCC at the beginning of the 2003-04 season, and he marked his period with the club by winning 3 All Ireland league titles. His departure from the club came when he moved to Dublin.
Speaking of his new appointment Keogh commented, “I’m really excited and thrilled to going back to Shannon as player /coach. Coaching is something that I have been working towards in the last number of years and I am delighted that I’ll be starting my new career path with one of the best clubs in Ireland. My time with Shannon was very successful and I know only too well the standards that they set. .
I’ve seen the team play on numerous occasions throughout the season, and I believe that they are a very talented group of players which has plenty of youth, experience and potential.”
“There’s a work ethic that demands success throughout the club, and I am confident that I can maintain and build upon that ethos. I know that this will be a challenge, but it’s one that I am hugely looking forward to.”
In appointing Stephen Keogh, Shannon RFC have maintained a long standing tradition by utilising former players to the head coach role, which has the obvious benefits to the club , but also to the collective Irish Coaching structures.
