The Welsh Rugby League have appointed Celtic Crusaders boss John Dixon as their new head coach of the international team.

His first match in charge will be against England in Doncaster on Friday 10th October 2008.

Dixon has been the Head Coach of the Celtic Crusaders since their inception in 2005. He led the Crusaders to the National League Two championship in 2007, an act that enabled the club to apply for a Super League licence this year, and he has consistently stated his desire to help grow the sport in Wales.

Since the advent of the Crusaders in 2005, 30 Welsh-born and bred players have turned out for the first team with an additional 22 Welsh-born players aged 22 and under, turning out for Crusaders Colts, the new feeder side to the Crusaders first team that started this year.

Dixon, who will perform his Wales duties in addition to those in his existing role at the Crusaders, has appointed Iestyn Harris and Justin Morgan as his new assistants and part of his role will be to identify and develop future Welsh international coaches.

Cross-code international Harris has 19 international appearances in Rugby League and 25 appearances in Rugby Union and is well-known to the Welsh rugby public. Currently playing for Bradford Bulls, he is Wales’ record rugby league points scorer with 165 and has recently indicated his desire to move into coaching when his playing career ends. Assisting Dixon in the Wales job would be a perfect start to that career.

Morgan represented Wales between 2000 and 2003 gaining 10 international caps and is now a highly successful coach with Super League’s Hull Kingston Rovers. He rose to prominence as coach of French club, Toulouse Olympique in 2005, when they reached the Challenge Cup Semi-finals. In August 2005. He took control of Hull KR leading them to Super League in 2006 with National League One Grand Final victory against Widnes Vikings while on the cup front that year Rovers shocked the rugby league world with a huge upset in the quarter finals of the Challenge Cup beating Super League side Warrington Wolves 40-36.

In addition, Celtic Crusaders’ assistant coach and football manager Anthony Seibold, who has played for Brisbane Broncos, London Broncos, Canberra Raiders and Hull Kingston Rovers has been appointed as the Welsh Strength and Conditioning Coach while ex-Wales and British Lion dual-code international John Devereux, who has won 11 Welsh rugby league caps and 21 in rugby union,

remains in his current role as Team Manager.

John Dixon said: “I’m delighted to be taking on the role as the Welsh national coach. There are great developments going on in the game in Wales right now.

“Wales has had many past glories based on elite players but what I see for Wales now is rugby league growing at grass roots level. We will hopefully have a Super League licence with Celtic Crusaders which creates a pathway for young Welsh players. The RFL’s decision to have the home nations represented by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales on a permanent basis creates the opportunity to develop a Welsh identification that we can promote and take forward.

“I’m delighted to be working with the best possible coaching staff in Iestyn Harris, Justin Morgan, John Devereux and Anthony Seibold. They are all quality personnel and the experience that they will bring to the national side is immense.

“We’re looking forward to taking on England in October and we understand the challenge that confronts us.”

Wales Rugby League’s Executive Chairman Mark Rowley said: “We believe that John is the perfect man for the job. He is a first class coach and his dedication to developing young Welsh talent is close to his heart. John also has the massive advantage of being based in Wales.

“The Welsh Rugby League are planning for the long term success of the international team. Recent developments around performance pathways and junior programmes give us great optimism for the future of both the Welsh National team and the Celtic Crusaders who we all hope will soon be in the Super League.

“With the 2013 World Cup and beyond in mind, and with John already committed to the Crusaders up until the end of 2011 at the very least, his is committed to developing young Welsh players, born in Wales, to play for Wales.”

Dixon, Seibold and Devereux will be officially welcomed into their roles at a under a under 13s junior match between Valley Cougars and Tydfil Wildcats. The staff along with some current Welsh internationals, will be at Nelson RFC from 6pm while the game will kick-off at 6.30pm.

Welsh Rugby League patrons David Watkins, ex dual-code Wales and Great Britain captain and current president of Newport Gwent Dragons and Janet Ryder AM have also been invited to the event.

All members of the media and general public are also invited to attend with Dixon and the players available for interviews.

Venue
Nelson RFC
The Park
Nelson
Mid Glamorgan,
CF46 6ES

article by Ian Golden
18 June 2008