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'Perfectly suited' Phil Davies replaces Joe Schmidt at World Rugby
By PA
Former Wales international Phil Davies has been appointed the new World Rugby director of rugby. The 58-year-old, currently director of rugby at Leeds, is to join the federation next month as the successor to Joe Schmidt. Davies’ coaching career, spanning more than 25 years, has included spells with Cardiff, Scarlets, Worcester and Namibia, who he oversaw at two World Cups.
Davies said in a statement from World Rugby: “I am delighted and humbled to be joining the World Rugby team and am looking forward to getting started. I am passionate about the sport, its people and its global potential.
“I believe that I can bring my experiences of playing and coaching in more than 20 nations over the past 35 years to support further growth and development to the sport both off and on the field, in particular in the important areas of welfare, sustainable high-performance programmes and laws evolution.”
World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin added: “We are delighted to be appointing a person of Phil’s experience, calibre and passion to this strategically-important position at such an exciting time for the sport.
“Phil’s profound knowledge and passion for the high performance and technical aspects of the game, coupled with the huge respect that he carries, will help us build on solid foundations forged by Joe Schmidt to increase our connection and collaboration with important stakeholders – players, coaches, match officials and fans.”
Davies will report to Mark Harrington, chief player welfare and rugby services officer, in a restructured rugby and player welfare department which will be responsible for community and elite rugby. Harrington said: “Phil is a great technician and a big-picture thinker. His expertise is perfectly suited to our ambition of making the game even more attractive and accessible for all and we are looking forward to welcoming him to World Rugby in February.”
It was announced in September that former Ireland head coach Schmidt would be stepping down as the federation’s director of rugby at the end of 2021, with the 56-year-old having decided to spend more time with his family in New Zealand. Schmidt, who has since become an All Blacks selector, remains a member of World Rugby’s high-performance rugby committee and laws review group.
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Latest Comments
It is if he thinks he’s got hold of the ball and there is at least one other player between him and the ball carrier, which is why he has to reach around and over their heads. Not a deliberate action for me.
Go to commentsI understand, but England 30 years ago were a set piece focused kick heavy team not big on using backs.
Same as now.
South African sides from any period will have a big bunch of forwards smashing it up and a first five booting everything in their own half.
NZ until recently rarely if ever scrummed for penalties; the scrum is to attack from, broken play, not structured is what we’re after.
Same as now.
These are ways of playing very ingrained into the culture.
If you were in an English club team and were off to Fiji for a game against a club team you’d never heard of and had no footage of, how would you prepare?
For a forward dominated grind or would you assume they will throw the ball about because they are Fijian?
A Fiji way. An English way.
An Australian way depends on who you’ve scraped together that hasn’t been picked off by AFL or NRL, and that changes from generation to generation a lot of the time.
Actually, maybe that is their style. In fact, yes they have a style.
Nevermind. Fuggit I’ve typed it all out now.
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