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#Post#: 154052--------------------------------------------------
Gerard Mullen Leaving Quins
DIR By: WellingQuin
Date: May 12, 2026, 5:10 am
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Joining Connacht as Attack Coach.
HTML https://www.quins.co.uk/article/mullen-to-join-connacht-as-attack-coach
Harlequins can confirm that Men's Skills Coach Gerard Mullen
will depart the Club at the conclusion of the 2025/26 season to
join Connacht as Attack Coach.
Mullen’s departure brings to an end his six-year association
with Quins, in which he has impacted the women’s, men’s and
academy programmes.
He first arrived in 2020 as Head Coach of the Women’s programme
and in his first season he guided the squad to a memorable
Allianz Premier 15s title in 2021.
The Irishman then moved into the Harlequins Academy in 2022/23,
before taking on the role of Attack & Backs Coach at strategic
Club partner London Scottish for the 2023/24 season. Mullen
returned to the Men's First Team setup as Skills & Transition
Coach ahead of 2024/25, before stepping into the dedicated Men's
Skills Coach position for the 2025/26 campaign.
Harlequins will provide a further update on the coaching
structure for the 2026/27 season in the coming weeks.
“Harlequins has been an incredibly special place for me over the
past six seasons, and it’s difficult to put into words what the
Club has meant to me,” said Mullen.
“I feel very lucky to have experienced so many different parts
of the Club, from leading the women’s programme initially and
winning the Premier 15s in the first season, through to working
in the academy and then with the first team. Each step has
shaped me, both professionally and personally, and I’ll always
be proud of the journey I’ve been on here.
“It’s also been incredibly special to work with players in the
first team that I previously coached in the academy - seeing
their progression and then being part of their journey again at
that level has given me a huge amount of joy.
“More than anything, it’s the people that make Harlequins what
it is. The relationships I’ve built with the players and staff
are what I’ll carry with me. It’s genuinely hard to leave a
group of players I have so much respect for - a group I’ve loved
working with every day and care a great deal about.
He continued: “This season has been tough at times, but I won’t
be surprised at all to see Gilly (Jason Gilmore) and the lads
turn some heads next season and get Harlequins back to where the
Club should be.
“An exciting opportunity has come up at the right time for me,
and it’s one I felt I had to take. That said, this wasn’t an
easy decision given what this Club and the people here mean to
me. Harlequins will always hold a special place in my life, and
I’ll leave with huge pride, lasting friendships, and a lot of
special memories.”
Head Coach, Jason Gilmore said: "Gerard is a great young coach
who has made a significant contribution to our Club across a
range of roles during his six years here. He has been a valued
member of our coaching group, bringing real quality and
dedication to everything he has turned his hand to, from the
Women's programme and the Academy through to the Men's First
Team.
"He has earned an opportunity back home in Ireland to continue
his growth as a coach in a different competition in the United
Rugby Championship with Connacht, and that is an exciting
prospect for him.
"Gerard remains committed until the end of the season and we
thank him for his contribution to Harlequins and wish him every
success in the next chapter of his career."
#Post#: 154059--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gerard Mullen Leaving Quins
DIR By: Quinto
Date: May 12, 2026, 6:07 am
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This area will improve next season
#Post#: 154071--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gerard Mullen Leaving Quins
DIR By: Bucksquin
Date: May 12, 2026, 9:46 am
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When people are announced as departing, it's hard to know
whether they jumped or were pushed. I'm not simply talking about
Mullen, or Nev, but generally. I suppose we're left to read
between the lines (maybe it was a combination).
Anyway, what still puzzles me is that one of the prime "excuses"
for this season has been that Wilson left immediately before the
season began, which (one presumes) was seen as a
catastrophically Bad Thing by the management, if not the prime
cause of Quins' subsequent demise.
The concurrent excuse was that the architect of the "plan" for
the season had suddenly gone, so now those coaches who remained
were left to implement it without his expertise to guide them
(poor things). As if that is, by definition, a real problem,
hard to recover from.
However, I'm not sure that (timing aside) many supporters were
sad that Wilson had gone.
If Wilson was so good, and we were sad/shocked to lose him, why
has this "plan" been such a disaster? Simply that it was too
clever to implement without Wilson there to oversee it?
I'm genuinely bemused. Serious thoughts welcomed.
#Post#: 154076--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gerard Mullen Leaving Quins
DIR By: FrostAndFire
Date: May 12, 2026, 10:56 am
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Both our skills and our attacking play have been massively
lacking this year. Before this week's game, the number of point
we'd scored was shameful (it's still bad). It's not really a
surprise that Mullen and Nev are moving on or have been asked to
move on.
#Post#: 154078--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gerard Mullen Leaving Quins
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: May 12, 2026, 11:10 am
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I did not weep tears of despair when Wilson left, but the entire
fiasco was just impossible to understand we kept faith in a
failed coach who very obviously going to Wales, if I was a
cynic, i might believe that was just to avoid paying
compensation.
Leaving when he did certainly did not aid our season, how much
it hurt it, is open to endless debate.
I am really of the opinion that constantly criticising the coach
who will be in place next year, whatever anyone’s opinion of
them may be, is going to do more harm than good, but people who
pay at lot for a season ticket have every right to complain.
Having said that if our coach fails next season, other people
will also have to fall on their swords.
#Post#: 154080--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gerard Mullen Leaving Quins
DIR By: FrostAndFire
Date: May 12, 2026, 12:08 pm
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Our aim should be to try to keep head coaches for at least as
long as the country keeps Prime Ministers, which should give
Gilmore a reasonable chance to prove himself, but not excessive.
#Post#: 154081--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gerard Mullen Leaving Quins
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: May 12, 2026, 12:12 pm
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--- Quote from: FrostAndFire link ---
>
> Our aim should be to try to keep head coaches for at least as
long as the country keeps Prime Ministers, which should give
Gilmore a reasonable chance to prove himself, but not excessive.
>
--- End Quote ---
Liz Truss or Sir Robert Walpole.
#Post#: 154082--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gerard Mullen Leaving Quins
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: May 12, 2026, 12:16 pm
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--- Quote from: Rugbycat link ---
>
> I did not weep tears of despair when Wilson left, but the
entire fiasco was just impossible to understand we kept faith in
a failed coach who very obviously going to Wales, if I was a
cynic, i might believe that was just to avoid paying
compensation.
>
> Leaving when he did certainly did not aid our season, how much
it hurt it, is open to endless debate.
>
> I am really of the opinion that constantly criticising the
coach who will be in place next year, whatever anyone’s opinion
of them may be, is going to do more harm than good, but people
who pay at lot for a season ticket have every right to complain.
>
> Having said that if our coach fails next season, other people
will also have to fall on their swords.
>
>
--- End Quote ---
What harm will it do? This forum has less impact than a Danny
Wilson half time talk.
Gilmore's responsible for an appalling defence and he's the head
coach.
#Post#: 154083--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gerard Mullen Leaving Quins
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: May 12, 2026, 12:20 pm
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--- Quote from: JammyGit link ---
>
> What harm will it do? This forum has less impact than a Danny
Wilson half time talk.
>
> Gilmore's responsible for an appalling defence and he's the
head coach.
>
--- End Quote ---
What good will it do.
#Post#: 154084--------------------------------------------------
Re: Gerard Mullen Leaving Quins
DIR By: T-Bone
Date: May 12, 2026, 1:15 pm
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I don't get this argument. What possible harm will it do to say
we don't think Gilmore is the right appointment. Most people
who've said that, including me, have also said they hope to be
proven wrong.
This season is a write off so I'm not really fussed about why
it's been so bad. My concern is that Gilmore doesn't seem to
accept his own role in the problems and seemingly nor does the
board, meaning I have little faith next season will be any
better.
Of course they might be privately very aware of this issues but
not wanting to say so in public
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