Ireland: Greg McWilliams to replace Adam Griggs as women's head coach

Greg McWilliams working as a coach for USA Eagles in 2018Inpho

McWilliams was assistant coach of the USA Eagles for two years

Greg McWilliams will take over from Adam Griggs as Ireland women's head coach at the end of the November internationals.

McWilliams was assistant coach of the side that won the 2013 Grand Slam and reached the World Cup semi-finals a year later.

He returns to the set-up with the team seeking to rebuild after failing to qualify for next year's World Cup.

Griggs will step down after games against the USA and Japan next month.

In a statement the IRFU said Griggs, who took the role in 2017, revealed his decision to step down prompting the governing body to begin the search for his successor.

The news comes just a day after it was announced that the review into the team's failure to qualify for the World Cup would be conducted independently.

Pressure has been growing on the IRFU to make considerable changes to the structure of the women's game in Ireland in recent months, with the senior team's qualifying losses to Italy and Scotland coming just days after Ulster and Connacht players were made to change beside rubbish bins before their inter-provincial fixture - an incident that prompted a separate review.

McWilliams will take up the new role on 1 December, with his first competitive games in charge coming in the 2022 Six Nations.

"It's such an exciting time for women's sport globally," he said.

"There is a terrific energy building and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of that journey, continuing on from the great work paved by Adam and his staff."

Griggs will remain within the IRFU set-up as provincial talent coach for Leinster, where he will focus on identifying and developing talent in both the men's and women's game.