Cardiff under-18 got their Regional Age Grade Championship campaign off to the perfect start with victories over Ospreys and RGC, and will look to extend their 100 per cent record on Wednesday as they travel west to take on Scarlets.
The man at the helm for this campaign is head coach, Chadd Mutyambizi. The Cardiff native has been part of the age grade coaching network for a number of years, climbing the ladder and taking over the under-18 side this season.
He is assisted by three Wales internationals in Gareth Wyatt, Justin Thomas and current Cardiff prop, Scott Andrews, and is enthusiastic about their input into this season’s programme: “It’s great to work with Scott, Justin and Gareth. They bring a real understanding of the game at a high level and also have their own ideas.
“They’ve got the experience to back up what they’re saying and my role is to bring all of that together and managing how and what we’re translating back to the boys for game day.
“There’s not much that I’ll be able to talk to Scott Andrews about regarding scrummaging, but he understands what I want in terms of an attacking scrum and a defensive scrum.
“That’s the way we’re working and it’s the same with backs and attack play. Justin and Gareth know what I’m looking for and I know that I can trust them to get that across to the boys who are playing on the field.”
Mutyamzibi has been nominated by Cardiff to join the Welsh Rugby Union’s Level 4 coaching course, as they bid to give development opportunities for coaches within the system.
The under-18 head coach has been encouraged by the club’s appetite to develop from within and present opportunities for local coaches of all backgrounds.
“In the time that I’ve been involved over the last six or seven years, I’ve worked with coaches of all backgrounds, who come through clubs of all levels, but they’re also well-identified as quality coaches,” said Mutyambizi.
“Some are just cutting their teeth, while others have been at the highest levels, and there are opportunities for local coaches to develop through the pathway. It’s not just a development platform for players.
“I’ve been fortunate to get to know various people from all corners of the pathway’s region, from Aberdare and Cefncoed to St Albans and Caerau Ely. There are no barriers at Cardiff Rugby.
“For coaches, it’s all about whether you want to learn and get better. As long as you have that attitude, and some skill of course, then the club are more than willing to believe in you, support you and give you opportunities.”
Academy manager Gruff Rees added: “We’ve been thrilled with the way Chadd has developed over the years and he’s a prime example of what we stand for as a pathway system.
“He’s in a key role within our system, it is a crucial stage of talent development. His relationship with talent pathway manager, Aled James, is vital to ensure an understanding of the alignment we need at this stage to potentially progress, as well as the nature of training we need to bridge that gap from age grade rugby to the academy.
“Of course all eyes are going to be on the youngsters coming through and making steps into professional rugby. But as a club, when we speak about developing from within and putting faith in our own people, that extends to all aspects of the organisation.
“We’ve shown how open we are to giving development opportunities to coaches and staff, and you only have to look at the strides made by the likes Gethin Jenkins, T Rhys Thomas, Richie Rees and now Craig Everett within the system. Obviously Cadd comes from a slightly different background, as one of our invaluable volunteers, and is equally as important in our coach development programme.
“He’s worked closely with WRU coach manager, Dr Dan Clements, who has both supported and challenged Chadd alongside his Level 4 coaching course.
“Ultimately, we’re looking for people who share our morals, are eager to develop and learn and also people who will be good influences for these youngsters, both on and off the field. Chadd has demonstrated that he ticks those boxes.
“He’s assisted by really promising coaches who can offer a lot from their experiences at the top of the game, which is equally as crucial off the field as it is on the field.”
A life-long fan of the Blue and Blacks, Mutyambizi was a former semi-professional player, who began his coaching journey with boyhood club Cardiff Harlequins around a decade ago.
He was identified as a coach who could contribute to the pathway’s age grade sides, initially joining the Cardiff under-16 north side as an assistant coach and later moving south.
He also took charge of the under-17 side last season, which paved a way for him to take up his current role for the start of this campaign.
Having previously worked with a number of this year’s under-18 contingent, Mutyambizi is thoroughly enjoying his responsibilities and is excited by the potential within the squad.
“It’s been great. I’ve worked with a lot of these boys from when they first came into the under-16 programme around two or three years ago,” he said.
“I know them well and I’ve seen them develop during that time and I was really excited to work with them again, at a later stage in their development.
“It’s been fascinating to see how each individual has developed and I think there’s potential for them to grow even further over the next few weeks.
“They’re a really good bunch of lads. They listen, they want to learn and they want to get better as all-round rugby players. I think you see that translated onto the pitch.”
And while it is highly unlikely that all players from a squad will progress into professional rugby, Mutyambizi insists there is a responsibility to ensure each individual reaches their potential, develop as all-round players and continue to gain enjoyment from the game, at Cardiff or beyond.
He added: “Something that’s really important to me is that I value the way the club works, and it’s about looking at the long-term future of every individual that comes into the system.
“We have a squad of 36 players at the moment, how many of those, realistically, will go on to become professional rugby players and play regularly at the top end of the game?
“The important thing for me when working with them is to ensure that all of those 36 players are still playing rugby, and enjoying their rugby, for the next 10 or 15 years
“Whether this is the pinnacle of their representative rugby and they spend a decade at their local club or whether they get to the top of the ladder, which touch wood some of them will.
“It’s all about making sure they stay in rugby.”
One player who worked under Mutyambizi at under-16 level was Theo Cabango. The academy wing lit up the European stage as he made his debut for the first team at Cardiff Arms Park in the Champions Cup last month.
Mutyambizi says there is a real pride in seeing how players develop and progress after leaving the age grade teams: “It was pretty special to see someone like Theo Cabango scoring his first Cardiff try against Harlequins a couple of months ago. When you see something like that it takes you back to when he came into the pathway as a skinny kid with the same side-step.
“But to see the way he’s progressed, developed and changed has been an amazing journey, and that’s the satisfaction you get as a coach.
“To reach that level and then excel at that level with room to get better is unbelievable.”
