The Next Wales Coach?

I understand that the next Wales coach is going to be Wayne Pivac.

I would have thought that the next Wales coach would be Shaun Edwards, Rob Howley.

Did neither of them want it?

Was they asked about it?

Any one?

Edwards signed a three year deal to return to League as Wigan head coach. Recent rumours are that he is considering a u-turn to stay in Union but return to Wasps as head coach.

If Howley were made head coach I think there would be more than a few raised eye brows from Wales fans. His time as caretaker coach were mixed to say the least and he has come under heavy criticism as backs coach at times.

It was decided a while ago maj. Think they had a shortlist including Scott Robertson, Dave Rennie, Pivac, Dai Young and perhaps one or two others. Pivac was deemed to be the best choice, in part because of his links with Wales already, and of course bringing Stephen Jones in as attack coach (clearly a great rugby mind, and possibly a Head Coach in his own right one day, possibly for Wales).

Personally, I would have kept Pivac at the Scarlets and gone for Dave Rennie. Pivac has got the Scarlets playing their best rugby since regional inception - winning a domestic league and getting close to the latter stages of Europe and league last season - but his greatest strength, for me, has been how he's brought in quality signings, time after time. Parkes, McNicholl etc. have all added to the team. He obviously can't do that with Wales. He also has his flaws - Scarlets have gone through long streaks of underperforming, both this season and 3 years ago, with no clear sign he/the coaches could stop the rot quickly. That's not encouraging at international level, where you don't get that luxury of playing out half a season and still be under no threat of losing your job - just look at Eddie Jones last year.

This season has been a bit testing as Scarlets lost two integral players - Barclay and Beirne - back to their home countries to extend/start their international careers respectively. Add in some really dreadful luck with long term injuries to just about a full XV, including most of the first team and B&B's replacements, and the Scarlets have regressed quite a lot on the field. It's also pretty clear they didn't adapt tactically to 'losing' their breakdown threat, that came from Beirne, Barclay, James Davies etc. and teams have tended to bully them up front. That said, Scarlets still in the hunt in the league/qualification for Europe next season, and a few players have been brought through nicely, like Kieran Hardy.

As for the other coaches, Shaun Edwards signed as Wigan Rugby League Head Coach a while ago. However, that's looking like it might be up in there air and he's possibly thinking of changing his mind. This has precedence - he was reported to be leaving Wales after the RWC in 2011 (in part due to fighting with backroom staff) and then, obviously, turned it around to become key to Wales' success. I wouldn't be surprised to see him follow Gatland wherever he goes - in which case you might see them both coaching England in the near future.

Rob Howley is also off. Strange one with Rob - gets demonised by many, and clearly the Welsh backs have underperformed/looked stale for decent parts of the last 11 years. But he was a good player, and when backs coach for Cardiff Blues was considered something of a 'thinker'. He's also had two stints as an acting Head Coach for Wales, and gone on 3 successive Lions Tours, which is pretty good experience: the caveat to that is he was actively called out by Sean O'Brien as being useless. Which is the sense many fans tend to get from the outside. That said, he might be looking for a club role as Head Coach - having been with Wales so long, it'll be hard for Rob to reach the level he's coached at (which is the pinnacle of the game, barring winning in a RWC...so far! ) in another job. He may take a few steps down to develop himself as a Head Coach - he may even leave coaching completely. Who knows? Either way, never really a serious prospect for replacing Gatland.

Robin McBryde will probably take up a job somewhere within the WRU system I would have thought. Could definitely see him be a key part of a North Wales region. Like Howley, spent too long wiith Wales to walk into another job comfortably, so probably needs a change of scenery to develop/learn a new role in a new environment. Like Rob, might look for a Head Coach's role - he's filled in during Summer Tours when Howley and Gatland have been away, so has some experience of it too.

Thank's miaow.

Glad some one cleared that up for me.

miaow wrote:.

Rob Howley is also off. Strange one with Rob - gets demonised by many, and clearly the Welsh backs have underperformed/looked stale for decent parts of the last 11 years. But he was a good player, and when backs coach for Cardiff Blues was considered something of a 'thinker'. He's also had two stints as an acting Head Coach for Wales, and gone on 3 successive Lions Tours, which is pretty good experience: the caveat to that is he was actively called out by Sean O'Brien as being useless. Which is the sense many fans tend to get from the outside. That said, he might be looking for a club role as Head Coach - having been with Wales so long, it'll be hard for Rob to reach the level he's coached at (which is the pinnacle of the game, barring winning in a RWC...so far! ) in another job. He may take a few steps down to develop himself as a Head Coach - he may even leave coaching completely. Who knows? Either way, never really a serious prospect for replacing Gatland.

SOB might have criticised Howley but Conor Murray is a fan.

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/rugby-union/conor-murray-reveals-first-lions-10356683

profitius wrote:

miaow wrote:.

Rob Howley is also off. Strange one with Rob - gets demonised by many, and clearly the Welsh backs have underperformed/looked stale for decent parts of the last 11 years. But he was a good player, and when backs coach for Cardiff Blues was considered something of a 'thinker'. He's also had two stints as an acting Head Coach for Wales, and gone on 3 successive Lions Tours, which is pretty good experience: the caveat to that is he was actively called out by Sean O'Brien as being useless. Which is the sense many fans tend to get from the outside. That said, he might be looking for a club role as Head Coach - having been with Wales so long, it'll be hard for Rob to reach the level he's coached at (which is the pinnacle of the game, barring winning in a RWC...so far! ) in another job. He may take a few steps down to develop himself as a Head Coach - he may even leave coaching completely. Who knows? Either way, never really a serious prospect for replacing Gatland.

SOB might have criticised Howley but Conor Murray is a fan.

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/rugby-union/conor-murray-reveals-first-lions-10356683

It's perhaps not surprising that Murray didn't criticise Howley before a Lions tour he was due to go on that Howley would be involved in selection for. O'Brien had nothing to lose in his public appraisal of Howley because he'll probably never be coached by him again. I'd also imagine that as a former scrum half Howley might be able to pass on position-specific tips to Murray, but that does not necessarily make him a good attack coach.

The impression I've got is that Howley isn't that highly-rated by fans, I'm not surprised that he was overlooked for the job. Pivac seems to be a decent choice, but time will tell. Even if not a Welsh coach, I think it's positive that Wales have picked someone involved in Welsh rugby as the next head coach.

profitius wrote:

miaow wrote:.

Rob Howley is also off. Strange one with Rob - gets demonised by many, and clearly the Welsh backs have underperformed/looked stale for decent parts of the last 11 years. But he was a good player, and when backs coach for Cardiff Blues was considered something of a 'thinker'. He's also had two stints as an acting Head Coach for Wales, and gone on 3 successive Lions Tours, which is pretty good experience: the caveat to that is he was actively called out by Sean O'Brien as being useless. Which is the sense many fans tend to get from the outside. That said, he might be looking for a club role as Head Coach - having been with Wales so long, it'll be hard for Rob to reach the level he's coached at (which is the pinnacle of the game, barring winning in a RWC...so far! ) in another job. He may take a few steps down to develop himself as a Head Coach - he may even leave coaching completely. Who knows? Either way, never really a serious prospect for replacing Gatland.

SOB might have criticised Howley but Conor Murray is a fan.

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/rugby-union/conor-murray-reveals-first-lions-10356683

Is that the correct link?! Does really say much about Howley. Just one line (and not a direct quote) saying that Murray reflected on learning a lot from him!