The Welsh Rugby Union has revealed its international pathway coaching structure for the forthcoming season.

The Welsh Rugby Union has revealed its international pathway coaching structure for the forthcoming season.

The appointments see a new, truly integrated approach to coach management and support of the national pathway squads.

In addition to the management groups appointed for each international team, a coaching skills support unit has been set up to connect coaching strategies, philosophies and player development as well as the identification of talent throughout the player pathway.

Dragons assistant coach Darren Edwards takes over as Wales Under 20 head coach having been an assistant coach with Wales Under 18 for the past two seasons. Swansea head coach and former Swansea, Wales and Lions flanker and rugby league international Richard Webster will be assistant Wales Under 20 coach and former Wales centre Mark Taylor, who has been Wales Under 18 team manager for the past two seasons, moves up to take up the same role with the Under 20 group.

The Wales Under 18 management team is made up of full time WRU performance pathway staff. Gruff Rees, who has worked as a WRU skills coach with youngsters in the Ospreys region for the past five years and has gained exposure to the professional game within the Ospreys coaching structure, takes on the role of head coach, with Pontypridd head coach Dale McIntosh continuing as assistant coach (forwards) and Gethin Watts, a WRU Performance Programme Manager, acting as team manager.

The Wales Sevens management team is unchanged with Paul John continuing as head coach and David Jenkins as team manager.

Wales Women head coach Jason Lewis has taken up a new role within the WRU, that of national development manager, and has therefore relinquished his coaching duties with Wales Women. The Wales Women’s coaching structure is currently part of a strategic review and will be announced before the end of the year.

The Welsh Schools Under 16 set-up has re-appointed Simon Davies as its head coach for the sixth successive season, with Euros Evans entering his second year as assistant coach and Roy James continuing as team manager.
Former Ospreys prop Andrew Millward (front five), former Wales back row Rob Appleyard (defence), Wales Under 18 head coach Gruff Rees and Wales Sevens coach Paul John (backs skills) make up the skills coaching unit, with those individuals working with players and coaches in all of the national squads from the cutting edge of Warren Gatland’s national squad right through to the Welsh Schools Under 16 side. These coaches are currently working with the national squad with a view to disseminating ideas and techniques to the other international pathway teams.

WRU Head of Rugby, Performance and Development Joe Lydon said, “We have brought together a talented blend of coaches to develop our best young players in the season ahead. The Under 20 coaching team brings an excellent mix of experience and exposure to the Regional and Premiership game, with Darren Edwards having proved himself at the Dragons and Richard Webster one of the bright lights in the Principality Premiership, winning last season’s Premiership Coach of the Year.

“The Under 18 group has been appointed from WRU employees who work with our elite young players week in, week out and are therefore in the best place to track the development of those players and bring them onto the next stage of their playing careers.

“Sevens is a key part of our development pathway, especially for players making the transition between international age grade and senior, professional rugby and we are looking forward to the IRB Sevens season with Paul John and David Jenkins again adding their wealth of experience to the group.