Ospreys turn to Grand Slam winner to run the rule over their mess

Welsh strugglers Ospreys arrived at training on Tuesday to a greeted by a temporary presence - 2005 Wales Grand Slam winner Mike Ruddock. 

With the club attempting to legally part ways since last week with Allen Clarke, the Irishman handed control on a three-year deal in April 2018, they have moved to temporarily fill the void by bringing in Ruddock for the coming month, a timeframe that begins with next Saturday’s visit to Swansea by Racing 92. 

Ruddock’s supposedly only on board for just a month but Lansdowne, his club in Ireland, have suggested he could be at Ospreys for longer than that.  

"With regret but with our full support, we announce that with immediate effect Mike Ruddock has taken a position with Ospreys to become initially a consultant for a month but may turn into a longer commitment,” read a tween from the Dublin outfit. “Mike and Ospreys have kept us fully informed at all times.”

The former Swansea boss has been appointed on a consultancy basis for a month to run the rule over the rugby side of the business.

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That role will include offering support and advice to interim Ospreys coaches Matt Sherratt and Carl Hogg for the month of December while playing a key role in the review.

The Ospreys claim they are conducting a wide-ranging review of its rugby operation, looking at the coaching set-up and defining what roles are needed in the future.

"We are delighted to have Mike join us for a month," said Andrew Millward, the Ospreys managing director. "The coaches and players have all welcomed the decision to draft him in to offer his support and having him play a key role in our review of our rugby operations."

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