Ireland confirm attack coach Mike Catt's departure in 2024

The Irish Rugby Football Union has confirmed that attack coach Mike Catt will be leaving his role in next year.

Catt took over the role in 2019 since Andy Farrell became the head coach and now will step down following Ireland's tour of South Africa in the summer next year.

The announcement on Catt's departure comes a day after Farrell signed a long-term deal with the IRFU until the end of 2027 Rugby World Cup.

"We can confirm Mike Catt will depart his role as Ireland Men’s Attack Coach at the end of next summer’s Tour of South Africa," read a statement from the IRFU.

"Thanks for everything Catty, but here’s to a big season ahead!"

Meanwhile, it has been reported that former Ireland captain Johnny Sexton, who announced retirement post 2019 World Cup has been linked up with the role with outgoing IRFU performance director David Nucifora not ruling out the possibility.

“If he chooses he’d like to do that, we’d absolutely work with him.

“I think Johnny is just taking a bit of time to take a deep breath at the moment.

“It’s been a long career to decompress for him. He will work out what he really wants to do in his own head.

“There’s a lot of rugby intellect in there and you’d like to access it or use it in some way if you had the ability to do it.

“But he’s got to decide what floats his boat over the next period of time.

“If he ever decides he wants to come back into coaching, the Irish system would be mad to say no to him.”