Joe Walsh: Cornish Pirates bring in Irish coach

Joe Walsh (right) was welcomed to Cornish Pirates by joint head coach Alan Paver

Joe Walsh is to join the Cornish Pirates coaching team.

The 24-year-old Irishman comes in with Louie Tonkin leaving the Penzance-based club at the end of the season to join Championship rivals Ealing.

He worked as a performance analyst for the Poland national team in the 2023 Rugby Europe Championship.

Walsh has also worked as head of performance analysis at Rugby Academy Ireland and with the under-17s side at Leinster.

"He will arrive highly recommended, mainly through Louie, who felt his knowledge, enthusiasm, energy - and experience for a young man - would suit, as he sought an opportunity in the professional game," joint head coach Alan Paver told the club's website.

"He clearly has an incredible mind and, with his attention to detail, energy and ability to take on more than one aspect of coaching, is quite unique.

"We are really looking forward to getting Joe into the environment and he is already coming up with new ideas."