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Cardiff reveal new head coach Matt Sherratt
By Ian Cameron
Cardiff have appointed Matt Sherratt as their new head coach, promoting him from his role as backs and attack coach.
The 47-year-old previously served at the club between 2016 and 2018, contributing to their European Challenge Cup success.
After stints at Ospreys and Worcester Warriors, he returned in 2021, playing a crucial role in qualifying for the European Champions Cup and nurturing young talent despite reduced budgets in Welsh professional rugby.
Sherratt replaces Dai Young who stepped down from his role after allegations of bullying were made against him. He was cleared following an investigation but made the decision to leave.
“First of all it is a huge honour to be given this opportunity at such a world- renowned and historic club and city," said Sharratt. "This club has done a huge amount for myself and my family and I feel it is time to stand up and repay the club by helping it rebuild through difficult times in rugby.
“It is a club I feel emotionally attached to, I have been part of the coaching staff in two different regimes and have also gained valuable experience in other environments whether with the Ospreys, in the English Premiership with Bristol and Worcester and on the international stage with Wales.
“I feel like I have the respect and the support of the players and staff and it is vitally important that we stick together and move forward as a group.
“It is no secret that it will be a challenging season with the financial constraints in Welsh rugby but we still have world class players, seasoned Internationals and young hungry home grown players who are desperate to wear the jersey.
“One of the big positives at Cardiff is the pathway and it is important we fully utilise that and build from within. Across sport you continually see big teams go through challenging periods and there is absolutely no doubt about the stature of the club so it is a real privilege.
“Another positive is the support we have. The Arms Park is a special place and I know when we show fight and play the style of rugby we are capable of us that support will get right behind us.”
The region says they are working on finalizing Sherratt's coaching staff and signing new players. The squad resumes training on August 14 after a two-week break for the final pre-season preparations.
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Latest Comments
Warren, if you think you should stay on coaching Wales, you are beyond deluded. If you love Wales & Welsh rugby as much as you say you do (& I'm sure you probably do) you should resign immediately so this once proud & passionate rugby nation can rebuild without you. How many of your players will make the British & Irish Lions squad.?
It's time to walk the plank.!
Go to commentsYeah nar I pretty much agree with that sentiment, wasn't just about the lineout though.
Yeah, I think it's the future of SR, even TRC. Graham above just now posting about how good a night it was with a dbl header of ENGvSA and NZvFrance, and now I don't want to kick SA or Argentina out of TRC but it would be great if in this next of the woods 2 more top teams could come in to create more of these sort of nights (for rugby's appeal). Often Arg and SA and both travel here and you get those games but more often doesn't work out right.
Obviously a long way off but USA and Japan are the obvious two. First thing we need to do is get Eddie Jones kicked out of Japan so they can start improving again and then get a couple of US teams in SRP (even if one its just a US based and augmented Jaguares).
It will start off the whole conferences are crap debate again (which I will continue to argue vehemently against), but imagine a 6 team Pacific conference, Tokyo Sunwolves (drafted from Tokyo JRLO teams), Tokyo All Stars (made up of best remaining foreign players and overseas drafts), ALL Nihon (best of local non Tokyo based talent, inc China/Korea etc, with mainland Japan), a could of West Coast american franchises and perhaps a second self PI driven Hawai'i based team, or Jagaures. So I see a short NFL like 3 or 4 month comp as fitting best, maybe not even a full round, NZvAUSvPAC, all games taking place within a 6hr window. Model for NZ will definitely still require a competitive and funded NPC!
On the Crusaders, I liked last years ending with Grace on the bench (ovbiously form dependent but thats how it ended) and Lio-Willie at 8. I could have Blackadder trying to be a 7 but think balance will be used with him at 6 and Kellow as 7. Scott Barrett is an international 6 sized player. It is just NZ style/model that pushes him into the tight, I reckon he'd be a great loose player, and saders have Strange and Cahill as bigger players (plus that change could draw someone like Darry back). Same with Haig now, hes not grown yet but Barrett hight and been playing 6, now that the Highlanders have only chosen two locks he'll be playing lock, and that is going to change his growth trajectory massively, rather than seeing him grow like an International 6.
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