Robin McBryde: Welsh coaches give regions 'identity' says ex-Wales forwards coach

Dai Young was Blues director of rugby between 2003 and 2011 before joining Wasps in 2011.

Former Wales forwards coach Robin McBryde has welcomed the appointments of Dai Young and Dwayne Peel at Cardiff Blues.

Young has returned as Blues interim director of rugby after Australian John Mulvihill's departure.

Ex-Wales scrum-half Peel will join Blues' coaching team in the summer after a spell with Ulster.

"I'm sure both of them will bring a lot of success to the region," McBryde said.

"It's great from a Cardiff Blues point of view and great from a Welsh perspective to see Welsh coaches coaching Welsh regions."

McBryde spent 11 years as coach in Warren Gatland's Wales staff and is now part of Leinster's coaching set-up under head coach Leo Cullen.

The 50-year-old, who won 37 caps for Wales and toured with the British and Irish Lions in 2001, wants to see more Welsh coaches involved at the regions once again.

"The identity Leinster have is helped by having Leo Cullen, a past player. He's very much the figurehead of Leinster," McBryde told the Scrum V podcast.

"When I think back to Gareth Jenkins down at the Scarlets for years, Lyn Jones at Ospreys, Kingsley Jones at Dragons - Welsh coaches with an affinity with the region.

Former Scarlets and Wales scrum-half Dwayne Peel has been coaching with Ulster since 2017.

"That strengthens the identity and I suppose it strengthens the bond between the team and the local supporters as well."

McBryde's role at Leinster puts him in a good position to compare the four Irish provinces with the four Welsh regions.

The former Llanelli and Scarlets hooker says he is envious of the Irish provinces' support compared to the Welsh regions, which were formed in 2003.

"You look how well supported all four provinces are," McBryde said.

"They were very fortunate in that those four provinces were already established when professional rugby came in.

"Whereas in Wales we've struggled with it and I still know supporters who haven't gone back to watching rugby since regional rugby came into being.

"From a supporting point of view it's clearly not working is it? You look at the attendances at those games, they are struggling and have been for a while.

"We've lost that sort of connection and maybe the regions have lost that identity or maybe didn't have that identity right from the word go.

Robin McBryde succeeded John Fogarty as Leinster's scrum coach

"It's a big thing here with Leinster with regards to having that identity and that link with the public and the supporters. There's a lot of emphasis on driving the legacy.

"Ultimately when you've got a really strong identity, that can carry you as a team and make up for a lot of deficiencies."

McBryde believes that Wales' traditional club sides have an important role to play in the development of young players.

"It's questionable whether regional rugby has ever taken off," McBryde added.

"I don't think we're going to go back to the clubs but I think there's room for the Premiership in there because of the history attached to all of those clubs.

"They're already formed so I think they should make that league as strong as possible and use it as a breeding ground for young talent.

"I know what the club system gave me."

McBryde returns to Wales this weekend when Leinster face his former side Scarlets in the Pro14 on Saturday.

*Listen to the Scrum V podcast on BBC Sounds.