Gaffney is stepping down at Saracens at the end of this season

Alan Gaffney has agreed a two-year deal to become part of the management team of Leinster coach Michael Cheika.

Cheika has signed a two-year contract extension with the Irish province and he will be assisted by Gaffney and former Ireland centre Kurt McQuilkin.

Australian Gaffney will take over from David Knox as backs coach.

Gaffney, who was Leinster coach from 2000 to 2001, is leaving his current position as Saracens' director of rugby at the end of this season.

However, he will continue to work at Saracens on a part-time consultancy basis.

"I will maintain an involvement with Saracens next season that will see me spending time with the club at agreed periods throughout the season," said Gaffney.

I really enjoyed the lifestyle when I lived in Ireland and that was another factor in making the decision Alan Gaffney

"But the nature of the role allowed me to explore other opportunities and so I will renew my association with Leinster.

"From a personal perspective this is a good scenario for me and everything has worked out well.

"I really enjoyed the lifestyle when I lived in Ireland and that was another factor in making the decision."

Leinster top the Magners League by eight points with six games to go but failed to progress beyond the group stage of the Heineken Cup.

A Leinster statement said that Gaffney's "knowledge and experience" would "continue the development of backline play" started by Knox, who is returning home to Australia.

The statement also praised Cheika's input into Leinster rugby since his arrival three years ago.

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"He has overseen a virtual overhaul of the Leinster playing squad, where 10 remain from the panel that year, along with developing the coaching and support staff structures within the club," added the Leinster statement.

"In the last three years the likes of Luke Fitzgerald, Cian Healy, Jamie Heaslip, Rob Kearney and Jonathan Sexton have graduated to the full Ireland squad, while the province have remained a real force to be reckoned with in both the Magners League and Heineken Cup competitions.

"The disappointment of missing Heineken Cup qualification this year has increased the drive and hunger to become even better and more professional."

Gaffney was Cheika's coach at Australian club Randwick in the early 1990s.

The Australian's consultancy role with Saracens means he will start his role at Leinster in early August.

Former Leinster captain and Ireland international McQuilkin joined the Leinster coaching set-up last summer.