‘Amazing’ boss Lynn backed to turn Wales around

After their women’s rugby world cup flop, co-captain Kate Williams thinks Sean Lynn is the ideal boss to change Wales’ fortunes.

This weekend saw the semi-finals of the tournament, but Wales had to endure a group-stage exit following a costly defeat by Scotland, a troubling defeat by Canada, and a shocking upset at the hands of Fiji.

After leading Gloucester-Hartpury to three successive Premiership Women’s Rugby titles, Lynn assumed control of the country in January.

Williams is confident that her former club boss can turn around Wales’ fortunes despite having won one of her ten Tests, including her stunning victory over Australia in Brisbane.

The back-row forward remarked, “Sean is an amazing coach, and his biggest driver for us is that he believes in us as players and believes in us as a team.”

“We need to move forward, to take the lessons we’ve learned from this year and believe we can accomplish this,” he said.

Since moving from New Zealand in 2023, Williams has won two league titles with Gloucester-Hartpury, including a try in this year’s final victory over Saracens.

The 25-year-old believes the head coach has the skills necessary to help her rise from 12th place in the world rankings thanks to Lynn’s significant contributions to her development.

He coaches both emotionally and tactically, and he possesses that passion, which we as Welsh people, she said.

When I didn’t believe in myself at the time, Lynny pumped so much confidence into me at Gloucester-Hartpury and believed in me.

Williams is confident that a similar strategy will produce quick gains in 2026.

Although the World Cup was a disappointing one with strong performances and results, “we have a lot of direction in mind heading into the Six Nations next year,” she said.

“We are aware that to increase our game fitness and IQ, we must practice more rugby with our clubs and in the Celtic Challenge.”

We will get better at winning the Six Nations because of it, and it will get better at our fitness, abilities, and connections.

“Our Celtic Challenge teams will experience significant growth in the coming year. The girls in the Under-20s and Under-18s can experience significant growth and competitiveness there.

Williams has risen rapidly, and in 2024 and 2025, she was named the Welsh Rugby Writers’ Association women’s player of the year for her efforts.

Following her teammate’s success in winning the title, she was given the honor of being named the season’s player of the year.

Williams, who spent time in the New Zealand Navy before moving to Wales to pursue her rugby dream, said, “I am just loving playing my rugby at the moment. I did that in the way that I did in the Six Nations and for Gloucester-Hartpury.”

I feel very fortunate to play alongside the players I do because the opportunities I have had have been incredible.