Ruddock to coach Ireland U20s
Mike Ruddock has been appointed as coach of the Ireland U20s team replacing the departing Allen Clarke.
Ruddock already has good coaching experience having spent time inside the Wales national set-up and as part of the Worcester Warriors coaching staff. This will prepare him well for his new role as the future of Irish rugby is now in his hands.
His biggest achievement to date has to be the Grand Slam that he guided Wales to in 2005. This was at a time when Wales were playing majestic rugby and he will be hoping to have a similar effect on the youths of Ireland.
Ruddock should take to his role like a duck to water and there are many positive aspects to his appointment as coach. However, the pressure will be piled on him because of the significance his new coaching role can have in the future.
Many positive aspects
A lot of people have said that this is a step down for Ruddock because of his success in the Wales set-up. However, it represents a new challenge for him as he will have now coached a national side, a top-flight domestic side and a national youth side.
He has been coaching since 1991 when he took up his first role as the full coach of Swansea Rugby Football Club. He has experience at all levels of the game and this will help him talk to and improve a variety of young Irish players.
He does not seem to be motivated by finance, simply a genuine want for his players to get better and eventually succeed. He's always been in touch with younger players and gave the likes of Gavin Henson his first break in the Wales team.
He said: "The chance to work in Irish Rugby again was one I did not want to pass up on. The focus with any underage team is trying to develop players and also trying to add a winning culture to the ones that pass through the team each year – I am really looking forward to getting involved to help develop young players."
A lot of pressure
There is going to be a lot of pressure on Ruddock in his new role because the future of Irish rugby has effectively been handed to him. If he makes any basic errors along the way then it could dent the international future of a very young man and this can have damaging mental effects on someone so young.
However, Ruddock is clearly no stranger to pressure and he will make sure that he has the right team with him doing various jobs. Ireland have always been gifted in terms of having a young and talented crop of players to choose from and Ruddock will maintain this as opposed to threatening it.
Betting advice
Ruddock should get the Ireland U20s side playing well in a very short space of time. Have a punt on them in any U20 competition they are due to play in within the next few months. Also keep an eye on the players who move into the Ireland senior team because they will form the basis of the national side for the next generation.
As a coach he gets his teams playing very fluent and attacking rugby that is very difficult to defend against. He is likely to teach the youngsters of Ireland a very attractive playing method that they will go and replicate at their clubs. Note down the names of key players in the U20s team and watch how they perform over the first few games of the new domestic season.
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