Nigel Walker: WRU performance director aims to fix mistakes in women's game
- Published
Siwan Lillicrap: Wales will not 'dwell on the past' after new WRU promises
If Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) performance director Nigel Walker was unaware of the magnitude of his new role, his first official day in the job will have reminded him.
"I have a bit on my plate," he observed, as he helped unveil another interim coaching team for Wales women this autumn.
It is this aspect of this job that will take most of his immediate attention.
"The women's game is front and centre," said Walker.
"It's been made clear to me it's one of my priorities, I am happy to take that on."
Walker insists finances will be provided.
"The resources are going to be made available," said Walker.
"I have seen the actual figures over the past few weeks and there is more money in the pot for women's rugby than there has been at any other stage.
"I'm not telling you that figure will stay constant and will be enough. As the ambition grows, you need more money.
"The figures I have seen made available for the game in Wales over the next year or two are enough to take the game forward."
Former Wales international and Olympic hurdler Walker has arrived from his role as National Director at the English Institute of Sport.
He will need all his expertise and previous experiences to deal with the women's game in Wales that needs a dramatic overhaul on and off the field.
The problems range from a failing national team that have not won in two years, to a lack of a clear pathway for the female game in Wales.
First you have to acknowledge the problem, which Walker appears to do.
"I don't want to use the term 'turn things around' because that makes it sound like we are in a desperate situation, but we have made mistakes and we are going to make right those past mistakes," said Walker.
"It has been a difficult period for women's rugby in Wales, we recognise that. The Union has not covered itself in glory in all aspects."
Issues have been highlighted in an independent review conducted by Helen Phillips, chair of Commonwealth Games Wales, Amanda Bennett, former Wales women vice-captain and Sport Wales board member and former Wales men's coach Kevin Bowring.
"We have had a hard-hitting review which I was presented with eight weeks ago and we are looking to put right the failings identified," Walker added.
"I don't think there is any benefit in publishing that review and raking over every single word; it is not because we are not being transparent.
"I will sit down and talk about the recommendations but more important is what we are going to do to address those and implement them."
WRU performance director Nigel Walker (front R) intends to improve things for Wales women captain Siwan Lillicrap (front L) and her team-mates. Geraint Lewis, Ioan Cunningham and Richard Whiffin will be in temporary charge
The elite level sees another interim team of Ioan Cunningham and Geraint Lewis taking charge this autumn until a new head coach is appointed by November.
The last boss only lasted three defeats after Warren Abrahams was appointed in November 2020 and left by mutual consent seven months later, while skills coach Rachel Taylor did not oversee a game before she decided to resign in March.
The national side have lost seven games in the last two Six Nations and the playing squad crave stability after being asked to continually adapt to a new set-up, so Walker knows the top players need reassuring.
"The most fundamental thing is making the squad of players feel loved, cherished and making them understand we are as ambitious for the women's game as they are," said Walker.
"That's where we start. We've talked about the issues but we can't afford to have a squad that loses faith in the governing body.
"I'm not saying that is where we are but we can't have that, you need the exact opposite. People to be coming to camp knowing they are going to get the level of resource, coaching quality, science and medicine they would expect.
"Over the weekend I spoke to about half of the squad in one-to-ones and we will have those conversations with everybody.
"It's about bringing things together so any player who makes a Welsh squad feels they have all the tools to be the best versions of themselves."
Making the leading players professional to emulate their English counterparts has been mooted, with former WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips stating he wanted to achieve that during his tenure.
Wales winger Jasmine Joyce scored 10 tries for Great Britain in the Edmonton Fast Four tournament
Double Olympian Jasmine Joyce is currently starring on the world stage with Great Britain sevens but will return to semi-professionalism when her current contract runs out with them at the end of the year.
So will we see those professional players in Wales?
"You wouldn't expect me to make that promise here and now but it's one of the things in the in-tray and something we're looking seriously at," said Walker.
"I have already had meetings with members of World Rugby and spoken to some of my counterparts in other countries. It's something that will be taken into consideration.
"Are we going to be there within the next year or 18 months? No, but I would like to think we can plot a path to it, sometime in the future."
The WRU's critics have been vocal and consistent. A group of 123 former internationals have said "enough is enough" after launching a petition aiming to bring back performance pathways for females to play at elite level, in line with their male counterparts.
There is no regional set-up to mirror the men's game and a sporadic club system which has seen Swansea RFC fold recently, with most of the top Welsh players currently playing for leading English clubs in the Premier 15s league.
Walker knows the development systems needs addressing and has promised to give a clear pathway in the game that girls can follow into the women's game.
"It is a difficult question but we have to get it right, otherwise we are not going to perform to our potential at international level," said Walker.
"To fix it will take a lot of hard work. The talent pathway is one of the fundamentals and has holes in it at the moment. The pathway needs to be clear if the top end is going to be as good as it can.
"If you look at the numbers coming into the game, they are pretty good further down the pathway but when you look at 16-18, it's not where we would like it to be.
"Those areas need to be addressed. If you look at our top women, a number of them are playing in England which is not necessarily a problem.
"It's still not an ideal situation for the pathway when all of your top players are playing outside of your country.
"It presents a problem in terms of girls being able to see a route through to playing international rugby. It needs a great deal of thought and there is likely to be a period of transition.
"I will be working in conjunction with Geraint John (WRU community director) to make sure that pathway is seamless. From the time any girl enters it, right through to the international stage."
Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Steve Phillips and performance director Nigel Walker
Walker admits he has seen the criticism from former internationals, who also say offers of help have been ignored by the governing body.
"There's a lot of valid criticism been flying about, a lot of different groups and advice," admits Walker. "I'd be foolish and a liar if I said I hadn't read it. Some of it I recognise.
"I will be consulting with many people around the game in Wales. There are lots of people with knowledge and I will listen.
"I'm not going to change things on my own, I'm going to need help and will be open to any ideas, wherever they come from."
The short-term challenge will be to perform at a World Cup in New Zealand where they have been in drawn in a group alongside the hosts and Australia.
"I am excited by the prospect of the autumn internationals, let's see how we get on in these matches, we will reassess and move onto the Six Nations," said Walker.
"The World Cup is just over a year away and the ambition is to compete with distinction."
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