Saturday's Champions Cup final epic not only showcased the two best sides in Europe, but also some of the best coaches.
Ronan O'Gara has cemented his status as the most sought after club coach in the world, alongside Scott Robertson, and has also brought his old Munster teammate Donnacha Ryan [forwards coach at La Rochelle] along for the ride.
While it was a forgettable day for Leo Cullen and his coaching staff, they have once again shown incredible consistency in their coaching and organisation throughout the year.
Speaking on this new generation of Irish coaches, former Leinster fullback/winger Isa Nacewa put a lot of their success down to their willingness to experience new ideas and environments.
I think if you ask all those guys, I think they are very smart, astute rugby minds. But equally so, they've all seen different environments.
They will have seen different leaders and different influence. The likes of Michael Cheika, Joe Schmidt, Stuart Lancaster, even Graham Henry has been up at Leinster.
Obviously ROG coming down under and seeing the New Zealand set up. Even the likes of Rob Baxter over at Exeter, these are guys that are consistently performing on the world stage.
Isa Nacewa Talks Leo Cullen And Ronan O'Gara
20 May 2023; Leinster head coach Leo Cullen, right, and La Rochelle head coach Ronan O'Gara after the Heineken Champions Cup Final match between Leinster and La Rochelle at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
READ HERE: Ronan O'Gara Has Spoken Very Honestly About His Chances Of Coaching Ireland
"They're all very smart to surround themselves with new ideas and fresh ideas, and that's part of the whole growth mindset behind what a modern day coach needs to do and these guys are definitely leading the way that's for sure," added Nacewa.
Aside from O'Gara learning his trade at Racing and the Crusaders, coaches such as Noel McNamara, who is attack and back coach with the Sharks, and current Ireland forwards coach Paul O'Connell have also spent time learning in different countries and experiencing different approaches to coaching rugby.
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