Welsh Rugby Union uses Lions funding to boost coaching pathways

The Welsh Rugby Union has used money from Royal London’s ‘Levelling the Playing Field’ fund to bolster its pathway coaching set-up.

Former Ospreys, Worcester and Wales centre Ashley Beck has been named women’s performance pathway coach with ex-Cardiff hooker Marc Breeze taking on the role of pathway scrum and throwing coach.

Beck, who will work closely with the network of Player Development Centres, will retain his position as head coach of Celtic Challenge side Brython Thunder for a second season, while also continuing to work as an assistant coach with Wales U20.

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Breeze, meanwhile, has been charged with implementing a national plan for the “development of front row forwards for senior professional and international rugby” across both the men’s and women’s games.

“This is really an exciting opportunity to continue the work that was started with Brython Thunder in the first season of the Celtic Challenge,” said Beck.

“We established the team’s identity and the new home and away league structure this season shows the commitment to women’s rugby when the spotlight will be bigger than ever before with a World Cup in England in 2025.

“We have seen players from Brython move into the national set-up and the Wales U20s and to have the chance to work at international level is a real privilege.

“Wales has always produced rugby players and it’s the same in the women’s game and it’s all about providing the players with a clear pathway to achieve their dreams and to hone their skills so they can represent Wales at the highest level.

“To able to play a role in that is not something I take lightly, and I know how important it is to support and challenge the players so they can make themselves, their families and all of us proud.”

Breeze said: “I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to work with young front row players and help support them in their development to ultimately try and push them into higher honours.

“I’m already getting out and connecting with the clubs and regions for both the boys’ and girls’ games connecting and having some good conversations finding out what support players need so I can then put an appropriate plan in place.

“I’ve already been through a Six Nations and World Cup, so I’ve got a real flavour of what the job entails and what happens in those tournaments so I’m not going into the role blind so to speak.”

The ‘Level the Playing Field’ fund, a £3 million commitment to women’s rugby in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, was announced in April, as part of insurance company Royal London’s founding partnership with the British and Irish Lions women’s team.

WRU head of player development, John Alder, said in a statement that money from the fund had “made both roles possible”.

He said: “We are thrilled to welcome Ashley and Marc to our national pathway coaching staff. Both appointments signal our ongoing commitment to optimising our national pathway across the men and women’s game, and are business critical to the development of our future internationals.

“We are grateful for the assistance from the Royal London and British and Irish Lions ‘Levelling the Playing Field’ fund which has made both roles possible.

“Marc’s prior experience not only in coaching on the men and women’s pathway but also in coach development means he is uniquely placed to contribute to the way our male and female front row forwards are developed.

“Ashley joins us with a real ambition for the future of the women’s game in Wales after cutting his teeth in the PWR with Worcester Warriors and then having led Brython Thunder in last year’s inaugural Celtic Challenge for the team.

“Both coaches will bring a unique perspective and a shared passion for developing players for professional rugby, and with our other coaching staff, will be instrumental in shaping the next generation of male and female Welsh talent.”