News of Warren Abrahams’ departure from his post as head coach of Wales women’s rugby is desperately sad. He had been in position since last November, a period that saw the national team finish last in the Six Nations a second time running.
His approach was to encourage small advances, to retain optimism as wins proved hard to find. But his brief was a wide one, taking in the Sevens programme as well as Fifteens. Critics had expressed astonishment that this was a requirement of an incoming applicant. His demise is proof in part that the WRU’s expectations were unreasonable.
It has come in for a barrage of criticism in recent times on several fronts, none louder than its control of the women’s sector. Rowland Phillips disappeared as Abraham’s immediate predecessor after announcing his squad for the 2019 autumn internationals. Confirmation of his departure came only in March 2020; his replacement took an unacceptably long time to be announced.
Pundits expressed their pleasure when Rachel Taylor came on as an assistant coach to Abrahams. She resigned in short order. No official explanation has been forthcoming.
All this while Welsh players were trying to keep an even keel, represent their nation with honour and enjoy the game.
Unlike their Celtic cousins they have an assured entry to the World Cup at the end of next year, but the intervening period is hardly long enough to put right everything that has gone wrong in the system. Proper funding of players, including insurance, remains a bone of contention.
The committee formed to recommend improvements to put the women’s sector back on the right track was due to report by the end of June. It’s hard to find any mention of its findings.
Steve Phillips, chief executive of the WRU, said: ‘The international Women’s game is an integral and growing area for the WRU; we will now move to find Warren’s replacement to ensure the necessary stability for the squad ahead of the World Cup in 2022’
Welsh doubters will wonder about that word ‘stability’, one feature noticeably absent from the WRU’s dealings.
