It’s not often that an All-Ireland League (AIL) coaching appointment goes global. Well, never actually.

It seems safe to presume that on first hearing or reading the news most people, not least in Terenure and in the Energia All-Ireland League, simply thought it was a joke or at the least they had to do a double take.

As befits a rugby figure with such a cool name, like few other figures in the world game Carlos Spencer has always been synonymous with flair − much of it outrageous. Add in his acceleration and footwork, and Spencer was the epitome of a running outhalf, witness more than 100 tries in first-class rugby in New Zealand.

When the game turned professional in 1996, Spencer provided the game with some glitter. He played in the Blues’ first Super Rugby match and he scored 608 points for them, helping them to win the inaugural 1996 title and retain it a year later, as well as reclaiming it in 2003.

Spencer remains among the All Blacks’ top-10 points scorers, with 383 in 44 Tests. He won two Tri-Nations and won two Ranfurly Shields and four NPCs with Auckland. He moved to Northampton, then Gloucester and finished in South Africa with the Lions there.

There have been hobbies and business interests, as well as specialist and consultative roles in coaching working with the Lions, Sharks and Kings in South Africa from 2012 to 2016, Sanix in Japan for three years, two years with the Hurricanes and latterly with the Auckland women‘s team.