Pete Wilkins steps down as Connacht head coach

Connacht Rugby has announced that head coach Pete Wilkins has stepped down from his position with immediate effect.

Having joined the team back in 2017, Wilkins served in multiple roles, including defence coach and senior coaching staff, before taking charge as head coach in 2023. His departure brings an end to a notable eight-year tenure at the province.

Wilkins shared a heartfelt message with fans and colleagues regarding his decision:

"It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing my departure from Connacht Rugby – the club and province that I have been so proud to call home for the last eight years.

"During this season, I have been having some very open and honest discussions about my future at the club.

"Although incredibly privileged to have been given the responsibility of leading the rugby programme here, the longer I have spent in the role, the further away I have found myself from the aspects of coaching not only that I most enjoy, but also that allow me to contribute most effectively to the team.

"As such, I have made the decision that it is best for the club, myself, and most importantly my family, that I step away with immediate effect. In doing so, the club and I agree it gives our players, staff and supporters clarity for the remainder of the season, and myself the opportunity to focus on returning to full health before my next coaching challenge.

"I am very grateful to all of the players that have worked so hard and been so eager to learn during this time, as well as the pro team staff who have given me such great support and friendship. To the wider staff of Connacht Rugby, the authenticity, pride, commitment and sense of humour that you bring to your work every day has always been an inspiration to me.

"To the Connacht supporters, it has been the most incredible privilege to have had this opportunity to be part of the Connacht Rugby family. This is a very special club, in an incredibly special part of the world.

"Beyond rugby, Galway has become our family home, and Sarah, Harry, Oscar and I have been blessed with the friendships and care that the wonderful people of Barna and the wider province have offered us. Connacht Abú."

Following Wilkins’ departure, scrum and contact coach Cullie Tucker will take over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

Tucker, who has been a part of Connacht’s setup since 2017, has already filled in during Wilkins’ earlier absence due to illness and is considered a steady figure within the current coaching structure.

Connacht Rugby's senior leadership praised Wilkins' tenure, highlighting that before his recent health-related leave, he had achieved the second-best league win rate of any head coach in the professional era for the club.

His strategic impact was most notably seen in Connacht securing a top seeding in the EPCR Challenge Cup pool stages, a feat not achieved in over 15 years.