Maw, who was appointed to the post in the New Year, has begun a thorough review of all areas of the elite game in Wales, including all international elite squads and coaching teams. He has given WRU Head of Rugby Development Nigel Davies a brief to mentor the Wales U20 coaching team, to ensure the team benefits from optimum conditions in which to prepare for the tournament.
Maw said: “It is an extremely exciting season for the Wales U20 set-up, with Wales hosting the inaugural IRB Junior World Championship in June. The bond between Patrick Horgan, his coaching team and the group of Under 20 players has clearly grown during the U20 Six Nations tournament and their performance levels are also improving with each match. They now have the chance to continue to prepare for the Junior World Championship with confidence and our full support.”
Nigel Davies said: “We have to ensure the standards set at the very highest level of the game in Wales are replicated at the next level down. Part of my role is to ensure that the knowledge and resources available to the National Management Team is passed down to the Wales U20 set-up as they move into the next phase of their preparations for the inaugural Junior World Championship in June.
“It is clear that Patrick and his team have become an effective and tight-knit group.”
Horgan added: “We are about 50% there with regards to our preparations for June and this Six Nations tournament has been hugely beneficial to us as a management team. We have been able to give places in the starting line-ups to 25 players during the tournament which will hopefully stand the squad in good stead for June and the demands of five matches in three weeks.”
