WRU reveal new Wales head coach in major announcement
The Welsh Rugby Union has unveiled Sean Lynn as the new head coach of the Wales Women’s senior side. Lynn replaces Ioan Cunningham who left the role after a disappointing run of results and a row over player contracts last year.
Swansea-born Lynn has signed a three-year contract with the WRU and has impressive pedigree in the women's game. He masterminded Gloucester-Hartpury’s back-to-back Premiership Women’s Rugby titles in 2023 and 2024 in England, and his side currently sit at the top of the PWR table, with a squad including a host of Welsh Test stars.
Lynn will combine his club duties with Wales but will focus on his role with Gloucester-Hartpury until the end of the PWR campaign in England.
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He will then switch full-time to Wales for the 2025 Women’s Six Nations campaign, kicking off against Scotland in Edinburgh on March 22nd.
Lynn’s first home game with Wales as head coach will be against England at the Principality Stadium on Saturday, March 29th, when a new record crowd for a Wales Women's match is expected at the 73,000 seater venue.
As a player, Lynn represented Wales U18s and Wales Students as a scrum-half but he began his coaching career at the renowned Hartpury Rugby Academy. At Hartpury University he coached the men’s first XV to three back-to back BUCS Super Rugby titles.
Lynn was appointed Head of Women’s rugby at Gloucester-Hartpury in 2019 and managed and built the rugby programme and turned the senior Women’s club side into a dominant force in the league.
He said: “I’m Welsh and I’m coming home and you don’t need me to tell you what this means to me. Being the Wales head coach is the pinnacle and I look forward to taking on a role with a squad of talented and exciting players.
“We have a Six Nations campaign and Rugby World Cup to prepare for in what promises to be the biggest year in the history of women’s rugby. It’s an exciting time with the prospect of a Test match against the Red Roses at the home of Welsh rugby, Principality Stadium, on March 29th.
“We have work to do but having coached, and coached against, the Welsh internationals in England, I know we have the players to make the nation proud.”
Abi Tierney, WRU CEO, said: “Sean Lynn’s appointment underlines the importance of and how we want the Wales Women’s senior national side to progress. His ability as a coach is second to none as he has proved with two back-to-back titles in the PWR.
“I am delighted he has accepted the role, he was the outstanding candidate among a field of high-calibre applicants who recognised what a prestigious and important role it is to be the Wales head coach.”
Lynn’s appointment follows that of Belinda Moore, who was appointed as the WRU’s new Head of Women’s Rugby last week.
Moore said: “Sean’s reputation in building successful teams, on and off the field, is proven by his success in the PWR. This is a major appointment for Welsh rugby and I look forward to supporting him and working with him to shape the Women’s Game in Wales.”
