Ruddock to focus on creating winning culture as he takes up U20 role

NEW Ireland Under-20 boss Mike Ruddock admits that development of young talent and the creation of a winning culture are his key objectives in the new role.

The former Wales and Worcester boss takes over the reins from Allen Clarke, who will focus on his role as the IRFU’s high performance manager.

Ruddock enjoyed a spell at Dublin club side Bective Rangers early in his coaching career, and he worked as Leinster director of rugby for three years before guiding Wales to the 2005 Grand Slam.

The IRFU described Ruddock’s recruitment as a “significant coup”.

Ruddock is no stranger to the grade as his sons, Rhys and Ciaran, both played for the Ireland U20s. Rhys captained the team to the 2010 Six Nations title before making his Test debut against Australia in the summer.

Ruddock said: “The importance of this age grade level is vital and the chance to work in Irish rugby again was one I did not want to pass up on.

“Allen has made some real strides with the team, with their championship success last season and runners-up spot the previous year a testament to this.

“I am looking forward to working very closely with him to ensure there is continuity with what I want to bring to the team and most importantly keeping the U20 team as the focal point for the identification pathway for future professional players.

“The focus with any 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 experiences through Ciaran and Rhys playing for the U20s, I feel I have a good understanding of the systems and I am looking forward to getting involved to help develop young players.”

Clarke will work with Ruddock but his focus will be on creating “the development pathways for underage players into professional rugby”.

Meanwhile former Ireland flanker Simon Easterby has been named the new defence coach by Scarlets after ending his playing career.

Easterby was forced to retire with a knee injury. He moved into the role of player-coach last summer but never fully recovered from a knee injury suffered in December.

He will be joined on the coaching staff by Wales and Scarlets winger Mark Jones, who has also been forced to retire after failing to recover from a knee injury.

The two former Scarlets captains will work under director of rugby Nigel Davies.

“I’ll miss the buzz from being on the pitch, but there’s fresh motivation for me now and being a full-time coach brings new pressures and with it a new level of responsibility,” said Easterby. I learned a lot last season being a player/coach but I am looking forward to concentrating on my coaching career.”