Ruddock signs three-year deal with Ospreys
MIKE Ruddock has pledged his future to the Ospreys, signing up for three more years in a new role at the Liberty.
The former Wales coach has been appointed the Swansea-based team’s first development director.
He had completed a rugby view of the Ospreys before taking over as performance director in January. T
he ex-Swansea RFC and Dragons team boss, who guided Wales to a Grand Slam in 2005, also played a key role in the appointment of Toby Booth as Ospreys head coach and Brock James as attack chief.
Ruddock has also coached Leinster, Lansdowne and Worcester Warriors, plus Ireland U20s, along the way acquiring enviable coaching experience.
When he returned to Swansea before Christmas, there had been some uncertainty about how long he would stay.
But that issue is now settled... until 2023 at least.
He said: “I am delighted to continue my involvement with the Ospreys and I would like to thank everyone at the region for their fantastic support during the last six months.
“I have passed on the high performance baton to Toby Booth and his talented coaching team.
“During my time at the Ospreys I have been heavily involved with coach and player recruitment plus the setting up of our excellent new temporary training facility at Swansea RFC.
“Now that the foundations for success are in place it is the right time to move into another challenging role.
“As the club’s first development director I am able to consider a much broader remit. If needed I can still support the high performance end of the organisation; however, the main focus of my role will be to support our performance pathway model.
“It gives me a chance to help shape the future of the Ospreys by encouraging quality players to come into and through our system, and to nurture and develop them as players and people.
“It’s a challenging and much needed role as we strive to identify and mould the next generation of Ospreys.
“This is a new chapter for Ospreys.
“We have recruited an outstanding head coach and I am excited by the quality of our coaching team. We have a new training venue and a very talented squad. I can’t wait to see the team in action.”
The Ospreys have enjoyed the way Ruddock has gone about his business since coming back to Wales, with a calm head amid the many difficulties that beset the region pre-lockdown.
He has had a significant input since, too, as the Ospreys have made a series of calls they hope will improve their fortunes.
Ospreys managing director Andrew Millward said: “Mike’s experience, knowledge and contacts in the game have proved invaluable for the Ospreys and I am delighted to see him carry on with the region.
“He played a pivotal role in the appointments of Toby Booth and Brock James.
“He is a respected figure in the game, not just in Wales, and his new role will allow him to bring all of that and his expertise to bear on the Ospreys rugby operation going forward.” the