Reddin unveiled as new WRU director of rugby

The new director of rugby and elite performance for Wales Rugby Union (WRU) is Dave Reddin.

Following the resignation of rugby executive director Nigel Walker in December 2024, the WRU was looking for a person to oversee the men’s and women’s professional senior games in Wales.

At such a pivotal time in the rich history of the game, Reddin said, “I’m delighted and honoured to be playing rugby in Wales.”

Because of the enthusiasm and meaning that Wales’ sport has, this is one of the biggest jobs in rugby.

Although the new vision and strategy have some well-documented challenges, I’m inspired by the very real potential.

Former Football Association (FA), England Rugby, and Team GB performance expert Reddin collaborated with Gareth Southgate and Sir Clive Woodward.

Wales’ men have lost a total of 17 Tests in succession, which they will aim to stop when they play Japan in a two-game series in July.

When Ray Williams took over the position in 1967, the WRU was the first governing body to appoint a director of rugby.

Although the job title has changed over time, Reddin will essentially be the 14th person to hold the position.

Reddin will start working for the WRU full-time starting in September, but he will gradually get more involved starting in July and take part in the hiring process for head coaches.

Reddin said, “My immediate concern is the appointment of the next senior men’s head coach.”

However, I will also be attempting to learn as quickly as possible about the people and the game in Wales to enable me to start making positive changes in the future.

Reddin will be in charge of creating and implementing detailed plans and structures in accordance with the recently released “One Wales” strategy.

As well as working closely with the four professional clubs, this work will include responsibility for all of the national teams and pathways for men and women.

Abi Tierney, the organization’s chief executive, expressed her excitement over Reddin’s joining.

Tierney remarked, “Dave brings a level of expertise and experience in directly relevant elite sporting environments unmatched around the world.

We are aware that this appointment will benefit Wales as a whole.

We evaluated a wide range of candidates for this position, and I want to thank everyone who expressed interest and everyone who gave suggestions on what would be the ideal candidate for this position.

Reddin’s rugby career began in 1996 with Leicester as a fitness instructor.

Between 1997 and 2006, he spent his career working as a fitness expert for England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU), culminating in Australia’s 2003 World Cup triumph.

On the British and Irish Lions’ 2005 tour of New Zealand, he also participated in Sir Clive Woodward’s backroom team.

At the 2012 Olympics in London, Reddin served as Team GB’s director of performance services.

Reddin became the FA’s head of performance services in 2014 as Dan Ashworth, the organization’s then director of elite development.

Reddin was first tasked with leading England’s development teams, but he was later promoted to the position of head of team performance and strategy in 2016.

Performance medicine, analysis, physical performance, nutrition, and people development were among the duties in that role.

Reddin and Gareth Southgate’s senior England team played together, including in the 2018 World Cup, where they reached the semi-final.

When Reddin left the FA in 2019, FA CEO Martin Glenn claimed that Reddin had played a “key role” across all 28 of our England teams.

Reddin co-founded Pitch32, a football-related consulting firm that works with football investors to improve both on-field and off-field performance, in 2020.

He was a member of the management team that helped create the conditions for their promotion to the second tier when they were managing the acquisition and transformation of the third-tier Spanish football team, CD Castellon.