It’s been a busy week on and off the pitch for Welsh rugby. There have been key new appointments by the Welsh Rugby Union, players retiring and signing for the Welsh regions, and two new teams to be form for the start of next seasons.

Let’s get stuck into it all!

Dave Reddin set to be named as new Wales Director of Rugby

Perhaps the biggest open secret in Welsh rugby is set to be confirmed this afternoon: former FA, England Rugby, and Team GB performance expert will be announced as the Welsh Rugby Union’s (WRU) new director of professional rugby later today.

Reddin has a lengthy CV with stints at a number of major sporting organisations, including as part of Clive Woodward’s coaching staff during England’s World Cup victory in 2003 and less successful 2005 Lions tour.

His first job will be to appoint a new Wales head coach, with Welsh defence coach Steve Tandy hotly tipped.

Reddin is clearly a capable candidate and has bags of experience. The major concern around his appointment is his time away from the highest level of rugby. Since leaving England Rugby in 2006 after nine years as a fitness expert, Reddin has not returned to the game until now.

The former FA head of performance services will have a wide remit that covers both the men’s and women’s senior teams as well as overseeing the pathway from youth teams into senior rugby.

Time will tell whether this is the first step towards Welsh rugby’s rejuvenation.

Dan Lydiate retires to become a coach

Former Wales and Lions flanker Dan Lydiate is set to retire after this weekend’s Welsh derby with Ospreys.

Lydiate won 72 caps for Wales and appeared three times for the British and Irish Lions on the successful 2013 tour of Australia.

It is expected that he will move into a coaching role – something he has already had experience of, having been the Dragons breakdown coach for this past season. He will continue this role next season at the Welsh region.

Renowned for his defensive chop-tackling abilities, the quietly spoken Lydiate formed part of a formidable back row for much of his international career, mostly at blind-side flanker alongside Taulupe Faletau, Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Dan, he’s got a large amount of grace and humility and he works hard,” said Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia.

“A British and Irish Lion, played for Wales, had a nasty injury and came through to become the person he is today.

“He’s been awesome to work with and we’re really looking forward to seeing him going back to the Ospreys on the weekend and enjoy the moments at his old stomping ground and leave some fingerprints on his last game in Wales.”

Tipuric to miss Ospreys home farewell

Can one ever have the perfect goodbye? For Ospreys, saying goodbye to their legendary flanker Justin Tipuric would have been agonising about his impending retirement whether he was fit or not.

The fact that he now has a race against time to be fit enough to play one more game for the Welsh region is all the more painful.

After a nightmare couple of weeks on the pitch the club has gone out of the EPCR Challenge Cup and dropped out of the United Rugby Championship play-off reckoning – albeit with a 2% chance of qualification (the same as it was this time last season when they did then qualify).

Tipuric, 35, injured his pectoral muscle during the defeat to Lyon in the Challenge Cup quarter final and missed last weekend’s Judgement Day. Everyone connected with the Ospreys will be hoping that the great flanker can make one last appearance for the region, even if it is halfway across the world in South Africa rather than on Welsh soil.

Welsh Rugby Union to revamp the two professional women’s side

The WRU are set to revamp the two professional women’s sides competing in the Celtic Challenge, with Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning set to be replaced by two new clubs.

The Welsh governing body has invited bids from the four Welsh regions and selected universities in a chance to have a professional team competing in the Celtic Challenge next season.

“The professional clubs will be asked to bid for a ‘Celtic Challenge Licence’ and split the funding for the two teams for the next three years until 2028, with Welsh universities also welcomed into the process,” said the WRU’s statement.

“The cost of each team will be match-funded by the WRU, with each club’s operating cost expected to be £200,000 a season.

“This exciting and key development for Welsh rugby recognises that women’s rugby is the fastest growth area of the game, with the 2025 Rugby World Cup set to be a ‘generational’ moment for the sport.”

Unfortunately for fans of Gwalia Lightning and Brython Thunder, those clubs will now go out of existence.

Sean Lynn challenges Wales

Wales women head coach Sean Lynn has made it clear that some of his squad are playing for their places at the upcoming World Cup over the next three matches.

Wales have one game left in this year’s Six Nations campaign – away in Italy on Sunday – before two matches in Australia over the summer.

Lynn’s side have not won a match under his coaching, having lost to Scotland, England, France, and Ireland in recent weeks.

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