Leinster announce coaching team for next season

Gaffney's knowledge and experience are being added to the coaching team to continue the development of backline play, started by current Backs Coach David Knox, who has done an excellent job in cultivating Leinster's own unique attacking style. He returns to his native Sydney at the end of the season with his signature stamped all over the playing style of this team.

Since Cheika's arrival in the summer of 2005, he has overseen a virtual overhaul of the Leinster playing squad, where 10 remain from the panel that year, along with developing the coaching and support staff structures within the club. In the last three years the likes of Luke Fitzgerald, Cian Healy, Jamie Heaslip, Rob Kearney and Jonathan Sexton have graduated to the full Ireland squad, while the province have remained a real force to be reckoned with in both the Magners League and Heineken Cup competitions.

Both Cheika and McQuilkin's contract renewal, alongside the recruitment of former Leinster Coach Gaffney, will continue the squad's development through a wealth of experience in what is set to herald the next step in this exciting new era for the province.

The disappointment of missing Heineken Cup qualification this year has increased the drive and hunger to become even better and more professional in its quest for Magners League and Heineken Cup honours over these next two seasons.

Leinster beat off competition for Gaffney's signature from a host of northern and southern hemisphere clubs and, interestingly, Cheika and Gaffney's careers will come full circle when the Saracens coach arrives in the summer as he was his first coach in the famous Randwick club back in the early 1990's. Gaffney's consultancy role with Saracens will see him start his role at Leinster in early August.