Joe Walsh – Coach

When the Cornish Pirates announced in the latter part of the 2023/24 campaign that coach Louie Tonkin had accepted a role with Ealing Trailfinders and would be leaving at the end of the season, the club promptly advised that Irishman Joe, then aged just 24, was appointed in his place for the start of 2024/25.

Having initially played rugby before transitioning to coaching and management in 2015, Joe spent the first few years of his coaching career working across youth, women’s, and junior men’s rugby, before stepping into the schools’ system, including being senior head coach at King’s Hospital School, Dublin.

Other roles have seen Joe coach under 20s level at MU Barnhall RFC, plus he coached under 20s at Buccaneers RFC in Athlone. He worked as a Performance Analyst for the Poland national team for the 2023 Rugby Europe Championship, and as Head of Performance Analysis in Rugby Academy Ireland coached the Leinster U17s schools that summer. Also, in January 2024, he was appointed Director of Rugby in Catholic University School in Dublin.

Noting the above, plus his qualifications that include MSc Sports Performance Analysis, IRFU Stage 4/Performance Coach Award, and World Rugby Coach Educator, Joe is clearly no ordinary Joe!