CONFIRMED: England snatch one of SA's 2019 World Cup winners
NEWS: England will be bolstering their coaching team ahead of the World Cup in France later this year.
Aled Walters, who was the Springboks’ Head of Athletic Performance when they won the World Cup in 2019, will be leaving Leicester Tigers at the end of the current European season to link up with head coach Steve Borthwick in the England set-up.
Walters joined Leicester in 2020 after his work with the Springboks was done. He has worked in rugby for 18 years, with roles at Scarlets, Taranaki and the Brumbies before spending six years at Munster.
He helped the Springboks become one of the fittest teams in the world in the two years (2018 and 2019) he was with the team.
It has also been confirmed that Leicester Tigers’ interim head coach Richard Wigglesworth will also be joining the England coaching team when his club duties are done for the season.
Wigglesworth took charge of Leicester in December following Borthwick’s appointment as England head coach, and he immediately retired from his playing career.
The former scrumhalf enjoyed a decorated playing career. He was capped 33 times for England, making his debut in the 2008 Six Nations against Wales, and featured at two Rugby World Cups in 2011 and 2015.
He made 449 Premiership appearances for Sale Sharks, Saracens and Leicester Tigers – winning three European Champions Cups and seven Premiership titles in a 20-year career.
In 2019, Wigglesworth also began undertaking coaching work and was Canada’s defence and kicking coach at that year’s Rugby World Cup. He took up the additional role of attack coach with Leicester Tigers, alongside playing before he became the interim head coach.
“Richard and Aled are two outstanding coaches in their fields who I know very well,” said Borthwick. “Richard has been a proven winner throughout his playing career and has carried this into his coaching career.
“He already has international coaching experience from the 2019 Rugby World Cup, alongside a hugely successful playing career, and has amassed a wealth of knowledge. Few people have such an in-depth, wide-ranging view and understanding of the tactical element of the game.
“He is a proud Englishman who has represented his country and is desperate to see us win, he will show he really cares about this team.
Borthwick added: “Aled is an excellent performance coach who had an incredible impact with the Rugby World Cup holders, South Africa. Wherever he has worked, players improve. I have never met anyone who is able to get more out of players than he does.”
#⃣BREAKING NEWS: @EnglandRugby is set to lose the services of another top-flight coach#Rugby 🏉#RugbyUnion🌍@SixNationsRugby 🏆
🔗https://t.co/lLyFZiFHaf pic.twitter.com/wTD3CiFTFh— rugby365.com (@rugby365com) February 7, 2023
