IRFU reveals their new Performance Director

Irfu presents its new performance directorSPOTLIGHT: The IRFU is pleased to announce the appointment of former Ireland international David Humphreys as Director of Performance, succeeding David Nucifora who has decided to leave at the end of this season.

The search for the new Chief Performance Officer was led by Odgers Berndtson, a global leader in performance research, along with its network partners in Australia/Asia Pacific, Europe, South America and the United States.The IRFU interview panel included Irish high performance expert Gary Keegan and members of the IRFU management team. A shortlist of experienced candidates from around the world was selected, a few of whom underwent a rigorous selection process including interviews and assessments.Commenting on the recruitment, IRFU CEO Kevin Potts said: “We know that in David Humphreys we have found someone who believes passionately in Irish rugby and has the expertise, skills and desire to keep us competitive on the global stage. » Our search took us all over the world and, ultimately, David emerged as the outstanding candidate.

“David’s journey from school player to representing his province and then to the national game puts him in an ideal position to understand the needs of the player. His local knowledge and 30 years of experience in elite rugby and engagement in high performance sport, previously on the Cricket Ireland High Performance Committee and now in his current role within England & Wales Cricket Board, will bring huge benefits and we are excited about the next level in our development.“David’s observations of the evolution of the system over the last decade have demonstrated a deep understanding and I have been excited by his energy and vision for rugby in Ireland and can’t wait to see him bring it to life. ““I would like to thank David Nucifora for the outstanding contribution he has made to building our high-performance unit over nearly a decade and wish him every success in his future endeavors.” Before we conclude, there is of course still much to do this season, including the upcoming 2024 Six Nations Championship for our men, women and U20s, as well as preparing our sevens teams for the Paris Olympics.“It will leave David Humphreys with a strong foundation to build on and we are grateful for his commitment to working with his successor until next spring to ensure a smooth handover of this key role for Irish Rugby.”Commenting on his appointment, David Humphreys added: “I have been fortunate to have a wonderful playing career with Ireland and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be part of another chapter in rugby history Irish.” ambition and I look forward to building on the successful systems of David Nucifora, who has been a driving force behind Irish Rugby for ten years.“The opportunity to now develop pathways across both men’s and women’s football excites me immensely and I really look forward to working with all the coaches, provinces, players and teams behind the scenes to ensure Irish rugby continues to go from strength to strength.” »The IRFU Performance Director has primary responsibility for delivering integrated high performance systems for the benefit of Irish rugby, with first-class development pathways for elite players, world-class coaching and support world-class, all delivering consistent and sustained performance to national teams through excellence and innovation.They also oversee a diverse team of high performance coaches, medical staff, referees, analysts and player developers, as well as the operational management of the IRFU High Performance Center on the Sport Ireland campus . Humphreys had a stellar career with Ulster and Ireland, winning 72 caps for Ireland and scoring 560 points. He led Ulster Rugby to Ireland’s first European Cup success in 1998/99, winning the Celtic Cup in 2004 and the Celtic League in 2005/06.Humphreys was director of rugby for Ulster and held a similar role at Gloucester for six years.

He subsequently took on the role of High Performance Consultant at Georgia Rugby and is currently Director of Performance Operations at the England & Wales Cricket Board, where his responsibilities include central contracts. He is also a renowned rugby analyst who commentates and writes opinion pieces in the Irish media. A qualified barrister, he was educated at Ballymena Academy, Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Oxford.Humphreys will join Irfu in March as designated performance director and will work with Nucifora to ensure a smooth and orderly transition. From June 1, 2024, Nucifora will oversee the final preparation program for the Paris Olympics, while Humphreys will take full responsibility as IRFU Performance Director.

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