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Former international centre Ashley Beck will join Sean Lynn’s Wales backroom staff for the upcoming Women’s Six Nations.

Beck has been Brython Thunder head coach for the past three seasons, guiding them to the Celtic Challenge play-offs last weekend.

He will replace Shaun Connor, who departs after three years in the role, on an interim basis.

The Welsh Rugby Union has also announced the appointment of Exeter Chiefs women’s head coach Steve Salvin as the interim forwards coach for the Six Nations.

“Playing for Wales is the highest honour you can get when you are a player and it’s the same when you are a coach,” said Beck.

“To be asked by Sean to join the set-up for the Women’s 2026 Six Nations is a real privilege and I am excited by the challenge of coaching at Test match level.

“Having worked with a host of the players in the Celtic Challenge, I know the talent we have in Wales and the challenge for the players is to believe they can compete at this level.”

Wales head coach Lynn said Beck has “a real pedigree” in the women’s game and “players find him relatable”.

“We have talked and discussed rugby regularly while he has been in charge of a young Brython Thunder team in the Celtic Challenge and I have been impressed at the way he thinks about the game,” Lynn said.

“Ash is full of a new ideas of how to attack teams and I am excited to see what he can bring to the coaching team and the squad.”

Salvin will park his role at Sandy Park for the duration of the Six Nations campaign, and succeeds Mike Hill, who the union says has chosen to move on.

Salvin was part of the coaching team that guided the Chiefs to back-to-back Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) finals in 2022 and 2023.

“The opportunity to work at international level with Wales and in the Women’s Six Nations was too good to turn down,” said Salvin.

Ben Duckett has withdrawn from the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) in an attempt to hold on to his place in the England team.

Duckett was set to make his debut in the lucrative franchise tournament after he was signed by Delhi Capitals in last December’s auction for £159,000

But the opening batter will now play for Nottinghamshire in the early rounds of the County Championship instead in an effort to rediscover his form.

The 31-year-old struggled with the bat towards the end of last summer and hit just one half-century in 16 innings across all formats this winter.

During England’s ill-fated Ashes tour, the left-hander made 202 runs in 10 Test innings at 20.20 with a top score of 42.

“I have given this a lot of thought, and it has not been an easy choice,” Duckett said.

“It felt like the best thing for me to do to be ready to play for England is to be here right now, at home, refreshing my mind and body.

“[I want to] play some four-day cricket for Notts, and try to find that form I had [early on] last summer.”

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Duckett also said he is “desperate” to play all three formats for England for as long as he can and will be “doing everything” to be ready for the international summer.

“This is a decision I hope I will look back on in 10 years and see as a pivotal moment in my career, and the right decision,” he added.

England also attracted controversy during the winter because of claims of excessive drinking by players during the Ashes, and particularly during a break between Tests in the beach town of Noosa.

One video which emerged on social media – not verified by the BBC – appeared to show Duckett drunk.

Duckett was named in England’s squad for the T20 World Cup which followed the Ashes, but did not make an appearance in the tournament.

He expressed his regret at what happened in Noosa during the Ashes.

“I am sorry for that incident. It was not professional and shouldn’t have happened. There is no hiding away from it,” Duckett said.

“Not playing in the World Cup and being on the sidelines in India after such a tough Ashes series was a struggle for me. But it’s lit a massive fire in my belly moving forward.”

Players who pull out of the IPL at short notice will be banned from taking part in the following two seasons in a rule introduced to the world’s most lucrative T20 franchise league last season.

Duckett’s decision to withdraw means he will likely face a suspension from the tournament until after 2029 in addition to a loss of earnings.

Delhi’s loss is Nottinghamshire’s gain with director of cricket Mick Newell pleased with the unexpected bonus of having Duckett available.

“We are supportive and fully understanding of Ben’s decision, which we know he did not make lightly,” Newell said.

“We are obviously very pleased to see him become unexpectedly available for us in the early part of the 2026 season, and we will continue to give him our full support in his career.