Connacht have secured former Australian Sevens coach Billy Millard, who also has experience working with the Cardiff Blues, as their new backline coach on a two year deal.

Millard has worked with some of Australia's greatest players in his time as the head coach for the national Sevens side, head coach of Sydney University and head coach of the Melbourne Rebels.

Players such as scrumhalf Luke Burgess, outside back Adam Ashley Cooper, wings Drew Mitchell and Digby Ioane and young star James O'Connor have all benefited from his coaching expertise.

Millard led Sydney University to back-to-back Premierships in 2005 and 2006, then took the Melbourne Rebels to the Grand Final of the Australian Rugby Championship.

He has most recently worked with the Cardiff Blues and in his time there the Welsh side reached the quarterfinal and semifinals stages of the European Cup and lifted the Amlin Challenge Cup.

Speaking about the move Millard commented: "I'm really looking forward to joining Connacht. It is a very exciting time for both me and the club as Connacht head into their first season of Heineken Cup rugby. I look forward to working with Eric Elwood and the rest of the coaching team in helping to develop the squad for the season to come."

Team manager Tim Allnutt was equally as pleased, he said: "We are very happy to have Billy joining us next season, he comes with a great pedigree of coaching and a proven track record of success both nationally with Australia and within Europe having been involved with the Cardiff Blues for a number of very successful seasons."