GRAND SLAM-winning Welsh coach Mike Ruddock makes a return to Ireland as the new coach of the Irish Under-20 team.
Also a former Bective Rangers and Leinster coach, who has close ties to Ireland through his mother (Co Clare), wife (Dublin) and sons, Rhys and Ciarán, both of whom have played for Ireland Under-20s, Ruddock will take over from Allen Clarke at the end of this month.
Clarke will now concentrate on the development of pathways for younger players into the professional game.
The affable Ruddock will be seen as a popular appointment and for the IRFU it is something of a coup. He began coaching shortly after his playing career with Swansea and Wales B was cut short though injury.
Starting off at Bective, Ruddock then went back to Wales where he took charge at Swansea before returning to coach the Leinster side in 1997.
He remained in Dublin for three seasons before going back to Wales to take up posts with Welsh club side Ebbw Vale and Wales A.
In 2004 he was appointed national coach of Wales and led them to an Six Nations Grand Slam in 2005.
He has lately been coaching at English club Worcester.
The move brings him into an environment that he already knows well.
Both Ciarán and Rhys are gifted players. Rhys captained the Irish Under-20s to the 2010 Six Nations title and finished the season by earning his first senior Irish cap for Ireland against Australia during the summer tour in June.
He is currently on a development contract with the Leinster, while Ciarán is in his second year as a member of the Leinster Academy.
Ruddock will concentrate purely on the coaching side of the under-20 squad with an accent on bringing through players to the higher level and into the professional game.
With the World Cup in New Zealand next year, some players will even be seeing that event as a career target.
“The chance to work in Irish rugby again was one I did not want to pass up,” said Ruddock who is currently on a family holiday.
“The focus with the underage team is trying to develop players and also trying to add a winning culture to the ones that pass through the team each year.
“A good part of my coaching career has been spent here in Ireland and with my own personal experiences through Ciarán and Rhys playing for the under-20s.
“I feel I have a good understanding of the systems and I am really looking forward to getting involved to help develop young players.
“Allen has made some real strides with the team, with their championship success last season and runners up the previous year testament to this.
“I am looking forward to working very closely with him to ensure continuity with what I want to bring to the team and most importantly keeping the under-20 team as the focal point for the identification pathways for future professional players.”
At provincial level, Connacht has announced kick-off times for their two pre-season friendly matches later this month.
Eric Elwood’s side face NEC Harlequins on Friday, August 13th, at 6.30pm and Saracens on Saturday, August 21st, at 6.30pm, both matches taking place at the Sportsgrounds.
Elwood, in his first season in charge, is looking forward to tough challenges from the Premiership sides.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming two of the Premiership’s top sides to Connacht,” said the former Irish outhalf.
“To be the best you have to test yourself against the best and with the quality of both the squads there will be no shortage of talent visiting the Sportsground.
“We have had some intense preseason training and this is the opportunity for our players to put into action what they have been training for the last number of weeks.”
Mike Ruddock
Born: 1959 Wales
Position: Flanker
Clubs (player): Blaina RFC, Tredegar RFC, Swansea RFC
Clubs (coach): Swansea 1991-97; Leinster 1997-2000; Ebbw Vale RFC 2000-03; Newport 2003-04; Wales 2004-06; Worcester 2007-10; Ireland Under-20 2010
Status: Married (Bernadette from Dublin)
Children: Ciarán, Rhys, Katie.
