Due to his background in Sevens Rugby, Coughlan is no stranger to scoring tries. Indeed, Coughlan was part of Ireland’s 2009 Seven’s World Cup squad.
The Cork man made his Munster debut in 2006, and made an appearance in Munster’s 2007-2008 Heineken Cup winning campaign.
Coughlan only played occasionally for Munster, that was until the injuries suffered by Denis Leamy in the 2009/2010 season. Leamy’s injuries left a vacancy which Coughlan took with aplomb.
In April 2017, after spending time with Pau in the Top 14 - Coughlan announced his retirement from professional rugby at the end of the 2016/17 campaign.
Upon retirement, he immediately progressed into coaching Pau's academy.
After two years with Pau, Coughlan joined Aix as a forwards coach for the 2019–20 season, and oversaw a transformation of the team's defence from the fifth worst to the fifth best, as well as turning the team's scrum from the fourth worst to the second best in the Pro D2.
Coughlan's work caught the attention of Top 14 club CA Brive, and he joined the club in July 2020 ahead of the 2020–21 season.
In July 2021,he joined Toulon as a transition coach in charge of defense.
(LS July 26, 2021)
Career
 |
RC Toulon Assistant Coach |
2021 - present |
 |
Munster Rugby No. 8 |
2006 - 2014 |
 |
Dolphin RFC No. 8 |
|
 |
Irish Wolfhounds No. 8 |
2013 - 2015 |
 |
Pau No. 8 |
2015 - 2017 |
