Scarlets bring in McBryde
The Scarlets have named Robin McBryde as their new forwards coach ahead of the upcoming Magners League season.
McBryde will divide his time between coaching in the Wales national team and coaching the front row of the Scarlets. It has emerged that this was a special request of McBryde's that the club gave in to in order to get their man.
McBryde has always been a player who has worn his heart on his sleeve. He has admitted that toying between the two parties has been one of the hardest times of his life but he's happy that an agreement has been reached.
McBryde knows the Scarlets inside out and he knows Welsh rugby equally well. He has a high number of qualities that he can replicate across both coaching roles. However, some pundits have already said that being involved in two things at once can have some negative consequences.
A quality coach
McBryde played 37 times for the Welsh national side and this proves he is a well respected figure in Welsh rugby. He also spent a large part of his career at the Scarlets. This would have given him a great deal of experience and he can teach a few tricks and tips in his role as a coach.
He retired in 2005 and has been very active in the game since then. This shows he likes the hands on approach of coaching, which can sometimes be better for coaches when they are trying to get a certain message across. It means McBryde can take part in training sessions and directly put his message across.
He's got the ambition and drive that not all coaches have. Very few in coaching have ever taken on a role with an international team and a domestic team. He has a lot going for him and it will be interesting to see if he does well.
He said: "I am very grateful for this opportunity and to have more of a hands-on role when I'm not involved with Wales. It gives me a great opportunity to take a step forward in my career. I haven't coached at senior regional level and it will present me with different demands and challenges. I'm here to bring as much as I can, but equally to learn."
The dangers
There are dangers of taking on a dual role as a coach, which all pundits and members of the game seem to agree on. A dual role means a coach has to split up his time between two parties. This will prevent particular problems and incidents within one of the parties to be dealt with quickly.
There is always the chance that McBryde may crumble a little bit under the pressure. This will stop his effectiveness while coaching in the Wales national team and the Scarlets team as a forward coach. However, his long international and domestic career has shown that he seems to thrive on pressure, so bank on him to show the kind of drive needed to succeed.
He added: "There's lots of potential here - it is a young-ish side and as yet we don't know how far it can go. But what we have to do as coaches is make sure these players fulfil their potential and I'm looking forward to working with them."
Betting advice
McBryde has done very well so far with the front row of the Wales team. They have looked a lot more precise and lethal in attack since he took up his role there after he retired.
He should make Scarlets a very lethal unit. Combine this with the additions they have made to the playing squad and they look like a much stronger side to back next season.
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