Noel McNamara is set to take over from Leo Cullen at Leinster next year, and fullback Hugo Keenan is already buzzing about what he'll bring.
Leinster have confirmed their next chapter: Noel McNamara will succeed Leo Cullen as head coach from next year, ending one of the most defining eras in the club's modern history.
One of the first voices to weigh in is Ireland and Leinster fullback Hugo Keenan, who described McNamara as an "exciting" appointment. Coming from a player who will work under him day to day, that endorsement says a lot about the mood inside the camp.
The move marks a major changing of the guard. Cullen has led the province through a long stretch of sustained success, so whoever follows him inherits both a loaded squad and heavy expectations. McNamara will be expected to keep Leinster at the top of the European and URC conversation while adding his own stamp.
What that stamp looks like is now the big question. With the handover still some time away, the focus turns to how McNamara and Cullen manage the transition, and how the dressing room responds to a new voice at the helm. If Keenan's reaction is any guide, the players are ready for it.
