To the European rugby final with the 'math teacher'

“Many people don’t even know who he is. Nobody talks about Noel”. That’s how sincere he seemed Johnnie Beattiethe former star of Scotland who spent eight years playing in Franceabout the discreet profile of a man in the coaching staff of the Union Bordeaux Begles (UBB)unknown to most rugby fans but key to one of the most effective attacking systems that exist: Noel McNamaraa former Irish maths teacher who has never played rugby who came to “by accident” as he said in an interview and that, since he joined UBB As attack coach in July 2023, he has led the club to the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of the most prestigious rugby tournament in Europeproclaiming themselves champions for the first time a year ago.

Noel McNamara is in charge of the attacking plays of the players who occupy the positions between 9 and 15UBB

It has just renewed until 2029 together with Shaun Sowerbyforwards coach, Jean-Baptiste Pouxscrum coach, and Aurélien Colognicoach of individual skills. They are the four assistants to the head coach Yannick Bru who will seek to win the trophy next Saturday the 23rd in Bilbao against him Leinster.

love rugby

As a child, McNamara He practiced hurling, cross-country, played golf, badminton and football, his great passion. Rugby did not catch his attention until he left university and, after going through school Glenstal Abbey in Limerickhe got his first job as a mathematics and physical education teacher at the Clongowes Wood College45 minutes drive west of Dublin. In an interview with Irish Examiner He explained that his work as a teacher also combined it with coaching the under-13 rugby team with which he achieved two undefeated seasons.

McNamara greets one of the members of the Irish under-20 team with whom he won a Six Nations after a match against WalesGetty Images

He then trained Leinster sub19, sub20 and Leinster A. He was appointed manager of the academy in Leinster in 2019 and made the leap to the U20 team of Ireland between 2017 and 2021 winning a grand slam in it Six Nations in 2021. Subsequently, he trained North Harbor of New Zealand before moving to Durban, South Africato work with Sharks where he met Yannick Bru. And from there, to Bordeaux.

A devastating attack

The impact of McNamara is reflected in the total number of tries scored by the Union Bordeaux Begles in it Top 14 and the Champions Cup. The season before they arrived, they got 63; a year later, the number rose to 124. Last season it rose again, to 152. So far this season, the Bordeaux is the highest scoring team in Europewith 27 goals in his four games in the group stage of the Champions Cup and another 18 in their three qualifying matches played to date.

Noel McNamara, at a press conference prior to the Investec Champions Cup match against Northampton SaintsGetty Images

McNamara will provide the strategy but has at his disposal Maxime Lucu like 9 already Matthieu Jalibert (the brain) of 10, two central ones like Damian Penaud (13) and Yoram Moefana (12) that pierce defenses and the best wing (11) of Europe, Louis Bielle-Biarreycapable of breaking the hips of anyone who gets in front of him and with devilish speed. In this season’s tournament alone, the Bordeaux He has scored 64 points against Leicester50 against him Bristol board and the Scarlets46 against Bulls30 against the almighty Stade Toulousain and 38 to Bath.

Bordeaux-Begles has a “special relationship” with the Champions Cupwhere he is performing more brilliantly than in the Top 14the demanding French league, where they occupy fifth place with two days left to play and far from the kings of the competition, the Stade Toulousain.