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Welsh Rugby Union uses Lions funding to boost coaching pathways

WORCESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 12: Ashley Beck of Worcester Warriors runs with the ball during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Worcester Warriors and Exeter Chiefs at Sixways Stadium on March 12, 2022 in Worcester, England. (Photo by Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images)

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

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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.

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“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.”

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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.

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“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”.

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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.”

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J
JW 34 minutes ago
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Good reads again John. I feel some moments at still within the team to improve, and hopefully some individuals to shine through. After Super Rugby where we were shown you can’t drop your guard at kick off several times in this series have the Lions caught their opposition out with quick throws and restarts, letting the ball go out in this game was a shocker (though the kick was honesty good enough to find the touch had they been ready). Tate tried to strip the try scored just before the half, where he could easily have just dove over the line with him and that pretty much would have been them going into the half with a 10 point lead or so. And in the last play they just didn’t work hard enough, especially one player, I forget who, when back into the ruck area given the Lions too much space wide.


I feel they also didn’t seem to show the same killer instinct once they were in front, playing it safe on a couple of breaks/momentum carries.


I also don’t really understand why Donaldson on the bench. I would much rather have someone you want on the pitch like Pietsch available in a 6/2 split with Gordon or Wright more than able to cover 10 imo. Tate was wonderful on the wing though. And of course lots more positives also present.


I really enjoyed how they were running onto the ball in close in around the ruck. Wilson was playing a different role I thought, he was more the one out man design for quick ball and he presented it as good as you can get all night. That said, he’s not first choice 8 is he, who is that again? Is Wright still injured? I worry that Joe is keeping him their and its dictating too much of the plan just because he has been given the captaincy role.


Will be interesting to see who he thinks might be work a shot in the first team this week, plenty of options. I watched the first quarter of last weeks midweek game and Tupou certainly wouldn’t be one on that list, might be worth a punt though. Think they have to try and work some plays for Bell too, hes got too much class just to be down on form, give him something to work with and I’m sure he’d be a standout as well.


Also seen enough to know Hunter isn’t suddenly going to turn into a class center, I would definitely stick with Joseph but maybe theres a window to put him onto the wing, despite what I said above, now? I think you also do him a disservice in his defending (like many are), he made the player go outside him. It’s the hardest backline spot, I’d be inclined to use him like a league back row and carry it from 12 more often, if that suits Len better.

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