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Rugby World Cup

Wallabies recruit four more assistant coaches and ex-England S&C boss

By Liam Heagney

10 May 2023

London Irish's Brad Davis (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

London Irish have issued a statement explaining why they have allowed assistant coach Brad Davis to link up with the Wallabies for the upcoming Rugby World Cup in France. The Gallagher Premiership club wrapped up its campaign last Saturday, with their win over Exeter securing a fifth-place finish. That success came amid the backdrop of a delayed payment in wages amid takeover talks with an American investment group.

Assistant Davis will now miss preparations for the 2023/24 season with the Londoners, instead heading home on a temporary basis to work with Eddie Jones. A former professional rugby league player in the 1990s and 2000s, Davis previously held union coaching roles in the UK with Ospreys in the Pro14 and Bath and Wasps in the Premiership before joining Declan Kidney’s Irish.

A club statement read: “At the request of Australia Rugby, London Irish has agreed to secondment of assistant coach Brad Davis to the Australia coaching setup for the Rugby World Cup before returning to the club to resume his position at Hazelwood.

Angus Gardner on Head Contact processes

“Davis, who joined the Exiles in preparation for the 2019/2020 season, will join Eddie Jones and his staff for this summer’s Rugby Championship, the international fixtures against New Zealand and France, and the competition itself, which will take place in France later this year.”

London Irish boss Kidney said: “Everyone at the club wishes Brad the best of luck for his time with Australia, it’s an opportunity that he thoroughly deserves. International recognition, whether that be coaching or playing, is always a proud achievement for the club. Brad has had a fantastic impact since his arrival, and we look forward to welcoming him back with a wealth more of experience.”

Davis added: “Firstly, I want to thank Declan Kidney, Les Kiss and London Irish for giving me the opportunity to coach on the international stage, something that has always been a dream of mine. It’s a hugely exciting opportunity and I’m looking forward to gaining some fantastic experience from Eddie Jones and the rest of the Australian coaches.

“Like at London Irish, I will be working with an extremely talented group of players. I look forward to bringing all this experience back to London Irish to continue the upward trajectory that we are on.”

The Wallabies also confirmed three other assistant appointments to Jones’ coaching staff. A Rugby Australia statement explained: “Current ACT Brumbies assistant and former Wallabies prop Dan Palmer has been brought on board as lineout coach and will work closely with Neal Hatley who was announced as forwards coordinator earlier this year. Hatley is set to link up with the team following the conclusion of the English Premiership where he is currently working with Bath.

“Frenchman Pierre-Henry Broncan has been appointed as a maul consultant. The 48-year-old former Castres boss took his side to the French Top 14 final last year and boasts coaching experience with Stade Toulouse and also worked at Bath Rugby in England for two years as a scout and analyst. The maul is an important part of the Wallabies’ attack.

“Meanwhile, former Wallabies fly-half Berrick Barnes will join the ranks on a part-time basis as a kicking consultant. The former Red and Waratah made his Test debut at the 2007 World Cup in France and was also part of the Wallabies 2011 Rugby World Cup squad, going on to play 51 Tests.

“Jones has also finalised his strength and conditioning team with the former head of England’s strength and conditioning program Jon Clarke to lead the S&C team with former Scarlets and Canberra Raiders coach Nigel Ashley-Jones as an assistant. John Pryor also returns to the Wallabies set up as a speed consultant, while Warrick Harrington remains in his role as a sport scientist.”

Jones said: “We believe we have a quality coaching staff to plan and prepare the team for a Smash and Grab campaign, winning the Bledisloe Cup and finishing winning the Rugby World Cup. It is experienced, diverse and adaptable. Ready to smash and grab.”

2023 Wallabies coaching staff
Head coach: Eddie Jones
Attack coach: Brad Davis
Defence coach: Brett Hodgson
Forwards co-ordinator: Neal Hatley
Lineout coach: Dan Palmer
Maul consultant: Pierre-Henry Broncan
Kicking consultant: Berrick Barnes
Learning co-ordinator: David Rath
Strength and conditioning co-ordinator: Jon Clarke
Strength and conditioning coach: Nigel Ashley-Jones
Speed consultant: John Pryor
Sport scientist: Warrick Harrington

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Comments

1 Comment

Gra 588 days ago

Aus looking dangerous. Most talking of lop sided draw with NZ/IRE/FRA/SAF. Don’t sleep on AU - Eddie going to be laying traps left right and centre

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Comments on RugbyPass

GrahamVF 5 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

About 500K of those are schoolboys 90% of which will not go on to play club rugby.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 6 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Exactly. Shoo would that it was so easy to develop competitions.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 10 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

SA wealthy? Compared to which countries. The economy is in tatters unemployment is at record low numbers and you think SA has money to spend on rugby development -0 and remember the SARU was technically bankrupt and was only saved by the COVID tour of the B&I Lions. No Sa doesn't have spare cash lying round for rugby development and given the resources SARU is doing just fine.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 14 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

South African domestic rugby is in great shape. Four top tier franchises fed by a series of competitions ranging from national schools competitions through Varsity Cup to Currie Cup and then to top four franchises is a model Australia would do well to follow. SA should never have more than four top domestic teams.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 18 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

That might be the best spin off from SA's involvement north of the line.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 19 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Of course not Nick 😉

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 23 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

We have our own theories about The Sharks. Plumtree is a good coach but he has not done anywhere near the best he could with the talent and money he has at his disposal and it doesn't help to have a marquee director of rugby who has spent by far the majority of his career playing and coaching sevens.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 28 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Don't worry - you'll win again soon then you'll feel a lot better. Right now get on with your SH comps and we'll get on with being barely the best in the world.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 31 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

JW you really have no idea of how Africa works. It will take generations not decades no matter how much SA puts into it. The poverty in Africa is something that is obviously beyond your understanding. Do you think the governments of impoverished nations are going to watch happily as rugby pours massive investments into infrastructure to promote what is essentially a white western game? And SA was trying hard to develop the game in Africa until the African vote blocked our "23 bid after the independent consultants to the RFU voted unanimously for SA? The Confederation of African Rugby virtually excluded South Africa.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 40 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Nick, our association with Argentina Rugby runs very long and deep. We are exploring reciprocal two/three test tours in the future - and even more games at neutral venues such as in Europe where a lot of both teams have players anyway.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 44 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

"has SA actually EVER helped to develop another union to maturity like NZ has with Japan," yes - Argentina. You obviously don't know the history of Argentinian rugby. SA were touring there on long development tours in the 1950's

We continued the Junior Bok tours to the Argentine through to the early 70's

My coach at Grey High was Giepie Wentzel who toured Argentine as a fly half. He told me about how every Argentinian rugby club has pictures of Van Heerden and Danie Craven on prominent display. Yes we have developed a nation far more than NZ has done for Japan. And BTW Sa players were playing and coaching in Japan long before the Kiwis arrived. Fourie du Preez and many others were playing there 15 years ago.

"Isaac Van Heerden's reputation as an innovative coach had spread to Argentina, and he was invited to Buenos Aires to help the Pumas prepare for their first visit to South Africa in 1965.[1][2] Despite Argentina faring badly in this tour,[2] it was the start of a long and happy relationship between Van Heerden and the Pumas. Izak van Heerden took leave from his teaching post in Durban, relocated to Argentina, learnt fluent Spanish, and would revolutionise Argentine play in the late 1960s, laying the way open for great players such as Hugo Porta.[1][2] Van Heerden virtually invented the "tight loose" form of play, an area in which the Argentines would come to excel, and which would become a hallmark of their playing style. The Pumas repaid the initial debt, by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park, and emerged as one of the better modern rugby nations, thanks largely to the talents of this Durban schoolmaster.[1]"

After the promise made by Junior Springbok manager JF Louw at the end of a 12-game tour to Argentina in 1959 – ‘I will do everything to ensure we invite you to tour our country’ – there were concerns about the strength of Argentinian rugby. South African Rugby Board president Danie Craven sent coach Izak van Heerden to help the Pumas prepare and they repaid the favour by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Which country do you think was instrumental in developing rugby in Argentina which then spun off into the rest of Latin South America? South Africa was touring Argentine in the 50's with their Junior Bok side on three months development tours. And they didn't do it to cultivare players for the Boks. Regarding Africa you are not taking into account that South Africa itself is an emerging nation. The rugby union has prioritised the development of rugby in South African rural communities with outstanding success.

It has taken 15 years to build the participation of rugby both in playing and watching. For South Africa on its own to build a viable international rugby competition in africa will take generations - not decades. New Zealanders seem to resent the fact that SA has doubled the income of the URC since their inclusion. If New Zealand Rugby hadn't insisted on have a disproportionate slice of the pie in Super Rugby, SA might not have fled the coop.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

I think this debate is avoiding the elephant in the room. Money. According to the URC chief executive Martin Anayi, the inclusion of SA teams has doubled the income of the URC. There is no doubt that the SA teams benefit from the URC but so do the other countries' teams. Perhaps it doesn't affect a club like Leinster but the less well off clubs benefit hugely from South African games' TV income. I don't think SA continued inclusion in the URC is a slam dunk. They don't hold all the cards by a long way - but they do have an ace in the hole. The Ace of Diamonds.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

How Wallace Sititi humbly reacted to All Blacks Player of the Year honour