Lynn named new Wales women head coach

Sean Lynn has been named Wales women’s new head coach.

The Gloucester-Hartpury head coach had been a frontrunner to succeed Ioan Cunningham, who stood down in November after three years at the helm.

Welshman Lynn has led Gloucester-Hartpury to back-to-back Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) titles, with the side currently sitting top of the table.

Lynn was appointed head of women’s rugby at Gloucester-Hartpury in 2019. He will remain in charge of them until the end of their PWR campaign before taking permanent command of Wales before the 2025 Six Nations kicks off in March.

“We have a Six Nations campaign and Rugby World Cup to prepare for in what promises to be the biggest year in the history of women’s rugby.

“We have work to do but having coached, and coached against, the Welsh internationals in England, I know we have the players to make the nation proud. “

As well as coaching the PWR team, Lynn oversaw the rugby programme at Hartpury College and University.

He was unveiled by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) at the Principality Stadium on Monday.

Lynn had made no secret of his ambition to coach at international level, but played down links to the role a few weeks after Cunningham’s exit.

His appointment could be a good fit for Wales, with Gloucester-Hartpury home to a large contingent of Welsh internationals including Hannah Jones, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Lleucu George, Bethan Lewis, Kate Williams and Kelsey Jones.

He will work closely with Belinda Moore, who was recently named the WRU’s head of women’s rugby in Wales, a new high-profile role.

WRU chief executive Abi Tierney said Lynn’s appointment “underlines the importance” of Wales’ women’s team and emphasises how the union want the side to progress.

She added: “His ability as a coach is second to none as he has proved with two back-to-back titles in the PWR.

Lynn faces a huge task given the turmoil involving the national team in 2024.

On the pitch, fully professional Wales recorded only four wins in 11 Tests, finishing bottom of the Six Nations and managing just the one victory in WXV2.

Off the pitch, there was a long-running contract row with the WRU, prompting another review, with relationships between players and management strained.

Lynn will be tasked with not only galvanising the squad but achieving something none of his predecessors has done before – namely breaking into the world’s top five teams.

When the head coach vacancy was announced, the WRU said it was seeking an individual to help establish Wales alongside the likes of England, Canada, New Zealand and France.

Wales kick off their Six Nations campaign away to Scotland on 22 March, giving Lynn just under nine weeks to prepare his squad.

Wales will be looking to return to form given the significance of 2025, the year when England host what is largely expected to be the biggest ever Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Wales made the quarter-finals in the 2021 tournament, played in 2022 in New Zealand die to the Covid pandemic, and they will be hoping to at least match that feat come August.