WRU in search for new coaches and managers

The vacancies are for the management teams of Wales’ international age grade and Sevens teams for next season.

Wales Head Coach Warren Gatland will team up with National Performance Manager Huw Wiltshire, Group Chief Executive Roger Lewis and National Coach Development Manager John Schropfer to appoint the best recruits.

The aim is to ensure that all international coaching and management roles within Welsh rugby attract interest from a wide pool of top quality candidates and all recruits are as closely aligned to the senior international strategy as possible.

The roles on offer for the Wales Sevens, Wales Under 20 and Wales Under 18 squads are team manager, head coach, assistant coaches and a fitness coach for each management team.

A decision has been made to openly advertise the posts on the WRU website (www.wru.co.uk/vacancies) to ensure total transparency in the recruitment process and crystallize the priority of aligning coaching strategies across Welsh international rugby.

Elite Performance Manager Huw Wiltshire explained: “We want the whole of Welsh rugby to work in total partnership so that our best developing players know exactly what is expected of them from all quarters.

“The over-riding ethos of the Sevens and National Age Grade squads has to be geared around player development in the first instance but within the context of a successful team environment.

“We achieve that by creating a close dialogue between all international squads, all four regions, the Premiership clubs and our academies.

“There is a fundamental need for the national squads to be aware of the needs of the regions and the regions to clearly understand what the Wales teams want from the players.

“All parties concerned want the same things with regard to player, coach and game development. Ultimately, this level of alignment can only help accelerate individual player development.

“So much good work has already gone on in delivering a proper elite pathway and this move will help take that development an important step further.”

Wales Head Coach Warren Gatland has been added to the interview and recruitment panel to ensure full technical and tactical compatibility is achieved by the international coaching teams.

Huw Wiltshire will focus on the qualities needed for the fitness coach positions and making sure all the coaching squads fully understand and utilise the support systems now in place.

Roger Lewis will sit on the panel to test the business, managerial and organisational skills of all the candidates considered for the top managing and coaching posts in Welsh rugby.

Lewis said, “The strategy here is all about alignment. It is to ensure that the systems and structures as well as the staff and skills are connected from the entry point of the Wales Under 18 set-up to the senior national Wales team. Furthermore, the coaches and managers appointed will help shape the values, beliefs and environment consistent with and connected to a winning Wales XV.

“The process we are now embarking on will achieve total transparency and openness which will in turn ensure the best candidates are identified and selected.

“We have some excellent coaches in place but we must ensure we measure all their skills against the best talent available.

“We want the people we put in place to know we have had the confidence to select them against opposition of the highest standard.

“The interaction achieved in the selection process we put in place will ensure all our recruits understand our aims and methods completely. This is about open dialogue.

“This process will help our developing players remain on target to achieve senior international honours and help the regions align with the international squads.

“We want to encourage individuality and flair while ensuring everyone involved understands the development pathway they are part of.”

Adverts for the roles are now on the WRU website with a view to the management teams being in post at the start of the new season.

Specific job descriptions and role criteria can be found on www.wru.co.uk/vacancies and applications must be received by 5pm on Monday 11 August.