Whiffen steps up from U20s to work with Scarlets’ elite
RICHARD Whiffin will swap the development of Gloucester and England's best young talent for some of Wales' biggest names next season.
After coaching England U20s at this summer's Junior World Cup, he will join the Scarlets as assistant attack coach where he will work with top internationals such as Jonathan Davies, Leigh Halfpenny, Ken Owens, and Hadleigh Parkes.
It is a big step up, but one he can't wait to tackle. Whiffin will become part of the Scarlets' new-look coaching team alongside head coach Brad Mooar and fellow assistants Glenn Delaney, Dai Flanagan, and Ioan Cunningham.
“I see this move as a fantastic opportunity for me to grow as a coach,” Whiffin told TRP in his first newspaper interview since his Scarlets move was confirmed. “I know Glenn well from my time at London Irish and he must have put in a good word with Brad who gave me a ring to see if I was interested in the job.
“I'll be working with Dai who I rate very highly as a coach looking after aspects of the attack such as kicking and running lines.
There is a huge amount of potential in this Scarlets team and the first choice side is mouth-watering – but I'm also excited about the talent coming through.
“The strength of their academy system was one of the things that really appealed to me about the Scarlets.” Whiffin, the England U20s attack coach who lives in Cardiff, is the latest to depart the Rugby Football Union who are continuing to battle severe financial problems.
England's loss is the Scarlets' gain as they get ready to begin their new era under New Zealander Mooar who has succeeded his fellow Kiwi Wayne Pivac as the man in charge in Llanelli. When the new PRO14 season begins the Scarlets – like Wales' other three regions – will be without their internationals on duty at the World Cup.
Whiffin believes the next generation coming through in west Wales can cover their absence and he has tipped Ryan Conbeer to go from strength to strength. The 20-year-old wing has been a revelation for Wales U20s and looks set to get his regional opportunity in September.
“Ryan is a massive talent and has the potential to be a top-end player,” said Whiffin. “I've coached against him on many occasions at U20 level and he's always a guy we've identified as one of Wales' biggest threats. “He's very fast, a great finisher, but he's also very strong in the contact area. He is going to have a lot of competition, but he's a player who could really make his mark next season.
“Corey Baldwin is another fantastic prospect while Dan Davis proved how good he is last season. Dan Jones is also a player who can get better and I'm excited to help these young lads get to the next level.”
