Bangor born Robin McBryde was the Forwards Coach to the Wales National squad having also been a WRU National Skills Coach, providing specialist coaching to Wales's young talent in the regional academies.
Former hooker McBryde made 37 capped appearances for Wales during an international career spanning eleven years. Making his debut against Fiji in 1994, he played on four occasions for Wales during the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
Part of the Grand Slam winning Welsh side in 2005, McBryde received a call-up to the British and Irish Lions tour squad to Australia in 2001 but sustained an injury that forced him out of contention.
Domestically, McBryde was a Llanelli and, after the inception of regionalism, Scarlets stalwart.
He played more than 250 games after his debut appearance on October 1st 1994 against Cardiff at the Arms Park for the club and captained Llanelli to victory in the Welsh Cup final of 1998 and the Welsh Championship title in 1999. His previous clubs include Menai Bridge, Mold and Swansea.
Since retiring in 2005, McBryde has immersed himself in coaching initially with the Scarlets and then with Wales as forwards coach to the senior national squad and also as a WRU National Skills Coach, providing specialist coaching to Wales’ young talent in the regional academies.
He took over the Wales head coach role during the North American tour of Canada and USA in 2009 while Warren Gatland and Rob Howley were on Lions duty in South Africa. He also headed up the tour to Japan in 2013 while Gatland was involved in the British & Irish Lions tour of Australia as well as the 2017 June Internationals against Samoa & Tonga.
In April 2019, Leinster confirmed that McBryde would join the Province after the Rugby World Cup in Japan as a scrum coach.
A British & Irish Lions player on the 2001 Tour to Australia, Robin McBryde will form part of the tourists’ coaching team for the first time in South Africa in 2021. McBryde’s only previous Tour was ended early by injury, but not before securing his place in the Lions’ record books as part of the side that defeated Western Australia 116-10.
Playing career:
Played more than 250 games for Llanelli and Scarlets
Captained Llanelli (Welsh Cup win 1998, Welsh Championship in 1999)
Represented Wales 37 times (2005 Grand Slam winner)
Made four appearances for the Lions on 2001 Tour to Australia
Coaching career:
Scarlets Regional U18 coach from 2005-06
Wales forwards coach and WRU National Skills coach for 11 years
Forwards coach for three Grand Slam wins (2008, 2012 and 2019)
Interim Wales head coach in 2009, 2013 and 2017
As of April 2021, JW
Career
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Leinster Rugby Assistant Coach |
2019 - present |
 |
Scarlets Coach |
2005 - 2006 |
 |
Wales Coach |
1994 - 2019 |
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Llanelli RFC Hooker |
|
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Swansea RFC Hooker |
|
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Bangor RFC (WAL) Hooker |
|
 |
British & Irish Lions Coach |
2021 - 2023 |
