The new coach of the Wales women’s team, who has not yet been appointed, will take on the women’s rugby leadership role that the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) plans to establish in 2025.
The new role is being created after Nigel Walker left his post as executive director of rugby at the governing body. Before leaving office, Ioan Cunningham left his post as Wales Women manager.
The governing body stated: “The high-profile role will not only directly manage the Wales Women’s Manager, but will also set and implement the women’s and girls’ game strategy across Wales and form an integral part of the WRU high-performance team.”
Walker resigned following what the WRU described as a “careful and extensive review” of the high-performance elements of the men’s game, while Warren Gatland continued as head coach of the Wales men’s team despite a record 12 Test defeats.
Walker, chief executive Avi Tierney and chairman Richard Collier-Keywood have all experienced a turbulent period in the WRU’s history. The Welsh Rugby governing body said it would apologize for its handling of contract negotiations with the senior women’s team after admitting “serious failings” in November. .
Collier-Keywood said she accepted that Walker, who was involved in the early negotiations, “should have done a better job.”
The controversy comes less than a year after an independent review of the WRU’s culture following a BBC Wales investigation found it was sexist, misogynistic, racist and homophobic. This aspect has not been properly questioned.
The WRU has now published its full report on the management of the women’s game.
As a result, the Governing Body announced the following:
