Ryan lands international player development role at RFU

(Reuters) - Dean Ryan has been named as the head of international player development for the Rugby Football Union (RFU), England's governing body said on Friday. Former back-rower Ryan was previously part of Scotland's coaching set-up and was also head coach of Gloucester Rugby for four years, leading the club to the top of the Premiership table for two consecutive seasons. The 50-year-old, who won six caps for England, will join the RFU in August and work closely with academies and national-team coaches from the under-16 age group to the senior team. He will also oversee the development of elite coaches. "This is an opportunity for England Rugby to take that next step and become a dominant force in world rugby," Ryan said on the RFU's website (www.englandrugby.com). "To do this we need to ensure we continue to develop a world-class pathway system for our players and elite coaches. "Having excellent relationships with the professional clubs is key, and we need to be joined up in our approach so we develop players who are ready to take that step into the senior international environment and make a real impact for England." (Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru; Editing by John O'Brien)