Paul O'Connell has joined the Ireland U20 team as an assistant coach ahead of their festive fixtures.
The U20 squad will play Leinster A and Munster A in preparation for the U20 Six Nations, which begins in February, and they will be able to call on the experience of the former Ireland captain O'Connell.
The 38-year-old represented his country in 108 Tests, and also captained the British & Irish Lions, for whom he played seven times.
O'Connell, who played as a lock, retired in 2015 after suffering a serious hamstring injury.
He played for Munster for 14 years, before joining Toulon after the 2015 World Cup. However, he never played for the French side due to his injury.