One of the world game’s most decorated coaches, who led Wales to the 2013 championship title, and is a triple-Grand Slammer winner (2008, 2012 and 2019) and Rugby World Cup semi-finalist (2011) as assistant coach to Warren Gatland, is returning to a new role with the Welsh Rugby Union.
Howley will rejoin Gatland’s back-room team as Wales assistant coach (technical), alongside Mike Forshaw (defence), Jonathan Humphreys (forwards), Neil Jenkins (skills) and Alex King (attack).
But, in his new role, Howley will also have special responsibility for the men’s and boys’ pathway, working closely with the new U20s head coach – also revealed for the first time today – Richard Whiffin.
Howley will take the immediate opportunity to hit the ground running in his new pathway centred role and join Whiffin at an U20s camp in Scotland next week and for training matches in the New Year ahead of the Six Nations competition.
Gatland is delighted to be first to welcome Howley, who has also coached alongside him on three British & Irish Lions tours (2009, 2013 and 2017), back to the Welsh rugby family from his most recent role with Canada.
“Rob is one of the most successful and experienced Welsh coaches on the international arena at the moment,” said Gatland, who adds new blood to his backroom team after contact area coach Jonathan Thomas announced his departure.
“When we lost Rob from Welsh rugby, we lost a hugely significant amount of intellectual property, knowledge of the game in Wales and of the international scene.
“I’m delighted to welcome him back into this new role. To be able to link the U20s and pathway teams up seamlessly with our strategy and planning for the national squad is going to benefit all parts of the game, including our four regional sides and their academies.
“As far as the senior men’s team is concerned we are delighted that he will be joining the 2024 coaching team and it is a major coup for Welsh rugby to have secured his services once again.”
Howley returned to rugby as a senior assistant coach with Rugby Canada in 2020 but, as a former Wales captain, decorated player and one of Welsh rugby’s most successful coaches, this move is a timely homecoming.
“It feels to me like the time is right and I am really looking forward to returning to the fold with Wales,” said Howley.
New Wales U20s head coach Richard Whiffin
“I have a second opportunity to do a job I’ve dedicated my working life to and I’m grateful to everyone in Welsh rugby for their acceptance and their faith in me, it’s faith I intend to repay to the best of my ability.
“The opportunity to work with the U20s and other pathway teams and help develop and prepare them for the challenges of international rugby is particularly exciting.
“I have been through an extremely challenging time in my life, speaking out and talking about it has enabled me to move forward. I will be more than happy to share my experience with others who might be experiencing tough times and I’m grateful to all of those around me who have supported me through these times.
“In Richard Whiffin, we have a very talented young coach coming in to take charge of the U20s and we have a great group of players identified already, so the future is looking really positive in Wales despite the obvious challenges of the current economic environment globally.”
Whiffin is also a returning Wales coach, after working with the Wales Women’s team as an attack coach during the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand.
Prior to that he had spent two years as the attack coach at the Scarlets.
The former Gloucester Rugby academy director left Wales to join up with the Highlanders’ Super Rugby Pacifica campaign in Dunedin in 2023, but he joins from his latest job as interim head coach to the reigning champions of the WRU National Schools & Colleges League side, Cardiff & Vale College.
“To be able to work with a coach of Rob’s stature and be linked into the senior men’s set-up in the way that has been described presents a really exciting prospect not just for me but for the whole U20s squad,” added Whiffin.
“The kind of alignment we are hoping to create will benefit everyone from the regional academies to the national squad but, most of all, the players themselves.
“It’s an ideal scenario for the U20s and the rest of the pathway to be able to work in tandem with the senior squad and I’m really looking forward to getting started in the new role.”
Whiffin, who is also a former England U20s and London Irish attack coach joins up with Howley to start work immediately.
