Mike Ruddock has been given a newly created role at the Ospreys
Mike Ruddock is staying with the Ospreys for the next three years after agreeing to become the Guinness PRO14 club’s new development director. The 2005 Wales Grand Slam-winning coach initially returned to Swansea last December.
Ruddock had been coaching in Ireland with All-Ireland League club Lansdowne, but he was tempted home after Ospreys fell into disarray during the 2019/20 season. Head coach Allen Clarke was ousted and after Ruddock completed a performance review, he was appointed performance director.
He went on to play a major role in the recruitment of new head coach Toby Booth, along with attack coach Brock James, and he now takes up a specially created position at the Welsh club.
“I’m delighted to continue my involvement with the Ospreys and I would like to thank everyone at the region for their fantastic support during the last six months,” said Ruddock on the club’s website.
“I have passed on the high performance baton to new head coach Toby Booth and his talented coaching team. During my time at the Ospreys, I have been heavily involved with the coach and player recruitment plus the setting up of our excellent new temporary training facility at Swansea RFC.
“It gives me a chance to help shape the future of the Ospreys by encouraging quality players to come into & through our system, & to nurture & develop them as players & people."💪🏉
Read the full news on Mike Ruddock's new role here👇
🗞️ https://t.co/oLg6UhSYnM#OurBloodIsBlack pic.twitter.com/l7830ng7GZ— Ospreys (@ospreys) July 23, 2020
“Now that the foundations for success are in place it is the right time to move into another challenging role. As the club’s first development director I’m able to consider a much broader remit.
“If needed I can still support the high performance end of the organisation. However, the main focus of my role will be to support our performance pathway model. It’s a challenging and much-needed role as we strive to identify and mould the next generation of Ospreys.
“This is a new chapter for the Ospreys. We have recruited an outstanding head coach and I’m excited by the quality of our coaching team. We have a new training venue and a very talented squad. I can’t wait to see the team in action.”
Andrew Millward, Ospreys managing director, added: “Mike’s experience, knowledge and contacts in the game have proved invaluable for the Ospreys and I’m delighted to see him carry on with the region.
“He is a respected figure in the game, not just in Wales, and his new role will allow him to bring all of that and his expertise to bear on the Ospreys rugby operation going forward.”
“After leading @ospreys through a turbulent campaign, Dan Lydiate has emerged with a new contract and a renewed ambition to add to his 64 Wales caps”
– @dan_lydiate holds court with @OwainJTJones on rugby, farming, TikTok and so much more https://t.co/umeXTwmHWP— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 18, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Nika the Georgian is the best referee in the world at the moment. Luckily we will be spared the shite SH refs and Barnes will hopefully remain retired given how shite and embarrassing he was at the RWC.
2 Go to commentsThis is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
8 Go to commentsFinals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
2 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
88 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
2 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
3 Go to commentsWell one thing about World Cup knock out rounds and Ireland is very clear: they won’t be getting ahead of themselves in ‘27! Because making it beyond the QF is well and truly ‘IN THEIR HEADS’ now…😉
88 Go to commentsHas this guy been dope tested? Sounds like a case of “roid rage”.
1 Go to commentsI would like to see him say that to Eben face to face in a dark alley.
88 Go to commentsYep, lost in translation. There are arrogant people in Ireland, yes. As there are arrogant people in every country, but as a nation, arrogance is not a general characteristic in Ireland. There has not really had a strong representation for any global sport over the years, and hence arrogance is not endemic to Irish people in this regard. I seriously doubt that was said or meant by 12 or 13 players. If it was said, it would have been said in jest and to pay Etzebeth and the Springboks a compliment for how hard fought the game was.
88 Go to commentsOne of the few Bidwell articles I can agree with. If coaches played their players through niggles and consistently played them 80mins then you could make an argument for resting protocols - they obviously don’t and are incredibly responsible, let’s give up the resting nonsense and let the boys play.
4 Go to comments