Ospreys appoint Booth as new head coach
THE Ospreys have confirmed Toby Booth as their new head coach on a three-year deal.
The 50-year-old joins from Harlequins, who he joined in November 2019 after seven years as Bath first team coach.
Booth also spent eight years with London Irish, four as director of rugby and will link up with the Welsh region this summer.
The Liberty Stadium region had been seeking a long-term replacement for Allen Clarke, who left in December 2019.
In January, they appointed exWales coach Mike Ruddock as their new performance director until the end of the 2019-20 season with part of his role to appoint a new coaching staff.
Ruddock initially joined as a consultant in December 2019 after Clarke was no longer in charge of first-team affairs at the region, while backs coach Matt Sherratt leaves at the end of the season to join Worcester.
Sherratt and forwards coach Carl Hogg have been in charge of first-team affairs since Clarke’s departure.
“When the opportunity was presented to join such an iconic Welsh team, based in an area that has a deep passion for the game, it made it an extremely attractive proposition,” said Booth.
“The Ospreys is a side full of rich talent and international experience. It is an ambitious group and has good potential to improve.
“Having developed players throughout my career, I look forward to adding value to this squad of players and developing their performances on the pitch.
“This rich rugby region has always produced young talent. The ability to help players reach their potential was a contributing factor in wanting this role.
“A team that has high numbers of home-grown talent is exciting for coaches and supporters. It helps achieve greater levels of consistency in effort as they are emotionally connected to the team.”
Ruddock added: “Toby is a vastly experienced coach who has proven himself over many years in the English Premiership with London Irish, Bath and Harlequins.
“He is an excellent communicator and an innovative coach. His track record of developing a high performance rugby programme impressed the interview panel and the senior players that met with him during the recruitment process.
“There were a number of outstanding candidates on our short list however Toby’s ability to outline his impressive coaching philosophy and his rugby specific knowledge marked him out as a stand out coach.
“The Ospreys Board would like to thank the WRU for their involvement and support for our recruitment process and we look forward to Toby taking charge next season.”