Ex-Wales coach appointed as Fijiana coach

NEWS: Former Wales Women’s head coach Ioan Cunningham will take charge of Fiji Women at the World Cup this year.

Cunningham is a highly accomplished coach with a wealth of experience in international women’s rugby.

The Fijiana XV, ranked 16th in the world, are in the same group as Wales for the tournament, set to take place in August in England, along with Scotland and Canada.

The 42-year-old resigned as Wales Women’s head coach in November after a turbulent year on and off the pitch.

“Ioan is a professional coach who has been in the women’s game for several years. He coached in the northern hemisphere, led the Welsh team to third place in the Six Nations, up to sixth in the world,’ said Fiji Rugby Women’s High-Performance Manager Alana Thomas.

Fiji Rugby Chief Executive Rovereto Nayacalevu expressed confidence in Cunningham’s appointment.

“We are excited to welcome Ioan to the Fiji Rugby vuvale. His expertise and experience at the international level make him the ideal leader as we prepare for the Rugby World Cup.”

Coach Cunningham said, “I am very excited to work with this group of athletes and staff. The potential of this group is huge, and I am excited and honoured to be given this opportunity to work with the team and represent Fiji. It is a very important year in women’s rugby, and I look forward to unlocking the talent within this team.”