John Mulvihill: Cardiff Blues head coach set to leave region
- Published
John Mulvihill took over at the Arms Park for 2018-19
Pro14: Cardiff Blues v Scarlets |
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Venue: Cardiff City Stadium Date: Sat, 9 Jan Kick-off: 19:35 GMT |
Coverage: Live on S4C; live commentary on BBC Radio Wales & BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app, plus live scores; highlights on Scrum V, BBC Two Wales, Sun, 10 Jan from 17:30 GMT |
Cardiff Blues head coach John Mulvihill is set to leave his role with the Welsh region with immediate effect during his third season in charge.
Blues lost 17-3 at home to Ospreys in the New Year's Day derby, their sixth defeat in 11 games played this season.
The players had been told Mulvihill was unavailable for personal reasons this week ahead of the home derby against Scarlets on 9 January.
Defence coach Richard Hodges is in charge for the Pro14 match this week.
Cardiff Blues have declined to comment.
Former Wales and British and Irish Lions scrum-half Dwayne Peel will join the Blues coaching staff next summer from Ulster.
Peel has been appointed as the senior assistant coach responsible for attack for 2021-22.
Former Cardiff Blues boss Dai Young would be an obvious replacement for Mulvihill having been in charge at the Arms Park between 2003 and 2011 and having left his nine-year stint as Wasps director of rugby in February 2020.
Mulvihill was announced as Danny Wilson's replacement in March 2018 for the 2018-19 season and he is in the final campaign of his three-year deal.
The Australian has more than 20 years of experience coaching at the top level, including stints as both assistant and interim head coach with Super Rugby's Western Force and in Japan's Top League with Kintetsu Liners and then Honda Heat.
The 55-year-old has also worked alongside former Wallabies head coach Alan Jones as backs and defence coach for the Barbarians, but this was the first permanent head coach role he had taken on.