Sean Lynn set to be named Wales women's new head coach
2025-01-20
Category: sports

Sean Lynn is set to be unveiled as Wales women's new head coach.The Gloucester-Hartpury head coach was 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.Saturday's 33-31 victory over Trailfinders was likely his last game in charge.Lynn was appointed head of women's rugby at Gloucester-Hartpury in 2019.As well as coaching the PWR team, he oversaw the rugby programme at Hartpury College and University.He is expected to be unveiled by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) at the Principality Stadium later on Monday.
Lynn had made no secret of his ambition to coach at international level, but played down links to the role a few week's after Cunningham's exit.His appointment would 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. 
Lynn faces a huge task given the turmoil involving the national team in 2024.On the pitch, fully-professional Wales recorded just four wins in 11 Tests, finishing bottom of the Six Nations and managing just the one win 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 - 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 are currently ranked 10th, but did reach an all-time high of sixth in 2023.
Wales kick-off their Six Nations campaign away to Scotland on 22 March, giving Lynn just under nine weeks to prepare a squad.Wales will be looking to return to form given the significance of 2025, the year when England hosts what is largely expected to be the biggest ever Women's Rugby World Cup.Wales made the quarter-finals in the 2021 tournament, played a year later in New Zealand, and they will be hoping to at least match that feat come August. They have been drawn in Pool B along with Canada, Scotland and Fiji.