Beck named as Wales Six Nations attack coach

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.