He informed the WRU of his decision today citing his renewed focus on securing a long term regional club contract to enhance his future as a full time rugby coach. For the past four years he has also been employed full time as the Assistant Coach with the Newport Gwent Dragons. His contract with the region will be up for renewal in the Summer.
He said: “It is with great sadness and regret that I have to step down from my national role but I have a duty to focus on my full time coaching career. I have enjoyed my role as the Sevens Team Coach enormously, but it is a huge commitment in terms of time away from the Dragons and my family.
“I can look back on three extremely successful seasons with the squad and I am confident the team is now heading in the right direction with the status it deserves in Welsh rugby. I wish all the very best to whoever takes over as Head Coach, but I feel that having made up my mind to go it would be wrong to stay in position.
“My Assistant Coach, Gareth Baber, is an excellent professional so I know he will be able to take our work forward, alongside whoever joins the coaching team, with the full backing of the squad. Now I will be devoting my efforts to settling my own full time future because I have huge ambition to continue and develop as an elite rugby coach.”
The Group Chief Executive of the Welsh Rugby Union, Roger Lewis, said: “It is very sad to lose a coach of Dai’s pedigree, but I fully understand his reasons for leaving. He has a huge knowledge of rugby and we wish him well in his efforts to fulfil his ambitions.”
Dai Rees has been a Welsh Rugby Union coach for the past 11 years and has been in charge of national teams for 95 international matches. He has coached Wales at Under 19, 20 and 21 age group levels and has also coached the Welsh Women’s team before taking charge of the Sevens squad. His role has taken him to nine age group world cups.
This year the Sevens team have returned as a core member of the IRB Sevens circuit and have celebrated a victory over England in the final of the bowl tournament at the recent tournament in South Africa.
The vacant head coach position must be filled early in the New Year when the Wales squad for the IRB 7s series in Wellington, New Zealand and San Diego, USA – which takes place in the first two weeks of February 2008 – is also set to be announced.
