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Warren Gatland welcomes Rob Howley back with new role
The WRU have today announced that Rob Howley will be back in the Wales senior men’s camp for the 2024 Guinness Six Nations, but not before he has taken a lead role with the Wales U20s side as they prepare for their own Championship campaign.
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One of the world game’s most decorated coaches, who led Wales to the 2013 Championship title, and is a triple-Grand Slammer winner (2008 and 2012, 2019) and Rugby World Cup semi-finalist (2011) as assistant coach to Warren Gatland, is returning to a new role with the Welsh Rugby Union.
Howley will rejoin Gatland’s back-room team as Wales assistant coach (technical), alongside Mike Forshaw (defence), Jonathan Humphreys (forwards), Neil Jenkins (skills) and Alex King (attack).
But, in his new role, Howley will also have special responsibility for the men’s and boys’ pathway, working closely with the new U20s head coach – also revealed for the first time today – Richard Whiffin.
Howley will take the immediate opportunity to hit the ground running in his new pathway centred role and join Whiffin at an U20s camp in Scotland next week and for training matches in the New Year ahead of the Six Nations competition.
Gatland is delighted to be first to welcome Howley, who has also coached alongside him on three British & Irish Lions tours (2009, 2013, 2017), back to the Welsh rugby family from his role with Canada.
“Rob is one of the most successful and experienced Welsh coaches on the international arena at the moment,” said Gatland, who adds new blood to his backroom team after contact area coach Jonathan Thomas announced his departure.
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“When we lost Rob from Welsh rugby, we lost a hugely significant amount of intellectual property, knowledge of the game in Wales and of the international scene.
“I’m delighted to welcome him back into this new role. To be able to link the U20s and pathway teams up seamlessly with our strategy and planning for the national squad is going to benefit all parts of the game, including our four regional sides and their academies.
“As far as the senior men’s team is concerned we are delighted that he will be joining the 2024 coaching team and it is a major coup for Welsh rugby to have secured his services once again.”
Howley returned to rugby as a senior assistant coach with Rugby Canada in 2020 but, as a former Wales captain, decorated player and one of Welsh rugby’s most successful coaches, this move is a timely homecoming.
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“It feels to me like the time is right and I am really looking forward to returning to the fold with Wales,” said Howley.
“I have a second opportunity to do a job I’ve dedicated my working life to and I’m grateful to everyone in Welsh rugby for their acceptance and their faith in me, it’s faith I intend to repay to the best of my ability.
“The opportunity to work with the U20s and other pathway teams and help develop and prepare them for the challenges of international rugby is particularly exciting.
“I have been through an extremely challenging time in my life, speaking out and talking about it has enabled me to move forward. I will be more than happy to share my experience with others who might be experiencing tough times and I’m grateful to all of those around me who have supported me through these times.
“In Richard Whiffin, we have a very talented young coach coming in to take charge of the U20s and we have a great group of players identified already, so the future is looking really positive in Wales despite the obvious challenges of the current economic environment globally.”
Whiffin is also a returning Wales coach, after working with the Wales Women’s team as an attack coach during the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand.
Prior to that he had spent two years as the attack coach at the Scarlets.
The former Gloucester Rugby academy director left Wales to join up with the Highlanders’ Super Rugby Pacifica campaign in Dunedin in 2023, before returning to Wales as interim head coach to the then-reigning champions of the WRU National Schools & Colleges League side, Cardiff & Vale College.
“To be able to work with a coach of Rob’s stature and be linked into the senior men’s set-up in the way that has been described presents a really exciting prospect not just for me but for the whole U20s squad,” added Whiffin.
“The kind of alignment we are hoping to create will benefit everyone from the regional academies to the national squad but, most of all, the players themselves.
“It’s an ideal scenario for the U20s and the rest of the pathway to be able to work in tandem with the senior squad and I’m really looking forward to getting started in the new role.”
Whiffin, who is also a former England U20s and London Irish attack coach joins up with Howley to start work immediately.
Comments on RugbyPass
Karl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
1 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
1 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
5 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
45 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
45 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
5 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
8 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
2 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
8 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
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