Darragh Egan says Gordon D'Arcy is a "great asset" for the Wexford hurlers. The former Ireland rugby international is part of new Wexford manager Egan's backroom team.
"Gordon is with us on all match days, he has been absolutely brilliant with us," Tipperary man Egan told South-East Radio.
"Very, very good for me. We have that conversation when I’m driving down on a Tuesday evening, we get a good 40 minutes or an hour conversation, just based on the previous weekend and stuff that we can work on.
"Look, that man has been in dressing-rooms on some of the biggest days in Irish rugby and Lions rugby and so on, and he’s a good Wexford man. He really loves his hurling. He’s some brilliant kind of ideas for us and brilliant kind of match day tips and tricks for me. He’s imparting that information to us at the moment, so it’s great.
Gordon D'Arcy helping Wexford hurlers
"Even pre-match and so on, Gordon would be keeping an eye on how warm-ups are going and things like that, some of the bits of information that he gives to me then, it’s real quirky stuff. It wouldn’t be run-of-the-mill GAA thinking but he’s looking at how the players are focused, what’s their application like in the warm-up.
"Even in-game, it’s not hurling information he’s giving, he’s giving body language information, he’s giving how the substitutes are preparing, are they watching, are they ready for the game, are they focused? The game at the moment is a 20-man game, and if you have a few blood subs, it gets to 21 or 22.
"He’s a great asset around the place and I think he’s working very well with the backroom, so hopefully he works very well for us throughout the year."
9 January 2022; Wexford manager Darragh Egan looks on as Cathal Dunbar takes a sideline cut during the Walsh Cup Senior Hurling round 1 match against Laois at Kelly Daly Park in Rathdowney, Laois. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Former Ireland head boxing coach, now USA coach, Billy Walsh, is also a member of Egan's backroom team.
"It’s vital for me, number one," said Egan, "I was talking to Billy today again before the match. He’s just a huge support for me and for the players - they will be working with him as the year progresses."
Wexford play Dublin in the Walsh Cup final this Saturday at Croke Park. Their Allianz Hurling League campaign gets underway eight days later when they face All-Ireland champions Limerick at Wexford Park.
Picture credit: Sportsfile
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