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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.
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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.
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“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.
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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
I’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
4 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
7 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
13 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
13 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
4 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to comments