Scarlets confirm former All Black Franks and academy coach Kelly will join new-look coaching set-up
Scarlets have confirmed that Richard Kelly and Ben Franks will join Glenn Delaney’s new-look coaching set-up. Academy coach Kelly has been promoted to forwards coach while former All Blacks prop Franks will join the Welsh club as scrum coach.
Richard Wiffin has also been confirmed as attack coach.
Scarlets appointed Delaney as their new head coach for the 202o/21 season after it was confirmed that New Zealander Brad Mooar would be joining All Blacks head coach Ian Foster’s backroom staff, and he has wasted no time in putting together a new-look coaching team.
Delaney has joined Scarlets last summer as defence coach.
New forwards coach Kelly has been working with Scarlets since retiring in 2015, and has also been working with the Wales U20s for the past 18 months.
Two-time World Cup winner Franks announced his retirement in February, and will join Scarlets once his current contract with Northampton Saints ends.
Whiffin has been assistant attack coach at Scarlets since last summer. The club also confirmed that Dai Flanagan will continue in his role as backs coach.
“I am delighted to bring Rich Kelly into the senior coaching team after the work he has done with the Academy, A side and the Wales U20s and also to welcome someone of Ben’s calibre to the Scarlets,” Delaney said.
“Both bring a broad skillset to the group along with their detailed set-piece expertise and I am looking forward to seeing them add to our programme.
“Rich is highly respected and has coached in our system for a number of seasons. He has been instrumental in the growth of our young players, a number of whom are stepping up to the senior squad for the coming season.
“Ben’s playing record speaks for itself. He is a double World Cup winner and has close to 50 caps for the All Blacks. I know him well from my days with my original club Linwood back in New Zealand and also with (London) Irish and he is the ultimate professional.
“He started his senior coaching journey as a player coach with London Irish and has continued to coach club rugby outside of his playing commitments.
NEWS | Scarlets add Richard Kelly and Ben Franks to coaching team
NEWYDDION | Scarlets yn ychwanegu dau aelod at y tîm hyfforddi
Full story 👉 https://t.co/ACyOXU64qS pic.twitter.com/nSh3MVRib8
— Scarlets Rugby (@scarlets_rugby) May 18, 2020
“As a group we are excited about coming together when rugby resumes following this lockdown period. We are all looking forward to building on what Brad has put in place this season.”
Franks admitted he had always hoped to move into coaching once his playing career ended.
“Coaching is something I had always planned to do when I finished playing and I was delighted when this opportunity came with the Scarlets,” he said.
“I had always known I was going to retire this season so before the coronavirus I had planned on taking some time off, doing some travelling and upskilling. Glenn then got in touch and it’s an opportunity I’m excited to be taking.
“I have learned a lot from previous coaches and from playing over here for the last four or five years and I’m excited to be working alongside Glenn and the other coaches, who I’m sure will push me and help me develop as a coach.
“There is a great mix of experienced internationals and youth in the squad at the Scarlets. I’m looking forward to linking up with everyone.”
EXCLUSIVE
'What is the next cycle going to be? Will it be the same old, same old here we go again?' – @Phil_Vickery talks to @chrisjonespress about the state of Gloucester Rugby https://t.co/ldVr89QgZE
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 18, 2020
“I feel very lucky and humbled to be given the opportunity to coach such a prestigious team,” Kelly added.
“The Scarlets have a huge stature in the world of rugby and I’m looking forward to helping the team work towards achieving success.
“My current role has allowed me to get to know the players well, working with primarily the development players in the senior group, but allowing me to build strong relationships with the wider squad too. I’m looking forward to strengthening those relationships next season.
“I would like to thank Brad and Ioan for their work last year and wish them well with the next steps in their journeys. I was lucky enough to have some excellent support from them last season.
“I’m excited to work with Glenn and the new coaching group. There is a real energy and excitement around what we are planning and we can’t wait to get into it and get moving.”
Comments on RugbyPass
In the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
5 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
5 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to comments