Lynn not in contact with WRU over Wales women role

Gloucester-Hartpury boss Sean Lynn said he is not in contact with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) about the vacant Wales women head coaching role, although he does see his "next step" at international level.

The Welshman has led Gloucester-Hartpury to back-to-back Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) titles the last two seasons, turning them into the dominant force in the women's domestic game.

The club is also home to a large contingent of Welsh internationals including captain Hannah Jones, prop Sisilia Tuipulotu, fly-half Lleucu George and hooker Kelsey Jones.

"I think the next step is on the international arena," Lynn told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"The international game is somewhere that I have been looking but I'm fully focused on Gloucester-Hartpury for the time being."

Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham stepped down from his role last week after three years at the helm and a turbulent 2024.

Wales registered only four wins in 11 Tests, and the WRU has admitted serious failings in the way it handled players' contract negotiations over the summer.

Lynn was appointed head of women's rugby at Gloucester-Hartpury in 2019 and oversees all aspects of the rugby programme at Hartpury College and University setup, as well as being head coach of the PWR team.

He guided Gloucester-Hartpury to their first ever PWR title in 2023, which they backed up last season, winning 15 of their 16 regular-season games.

Lynn said a number of the club's Welsh internationals had spoken to him about the role and added he would want answers on a number of issues from the WRU before discussing the job.

"A few girls have asked and said what's going on and I just said, 'look my full concentration is here'," Lynn said.

"There would be a few questions I'd need to ask the WRU straight away but that's where it is at the moment."

Gloucester-Hartpury return to league action this Saturday after three weeks off, with a local derby against Bristol Bears at Kingsholm - the first of four consecutive weeks of fixtures before Christmas.

They are currently third in the table, 11 points behind leaders Saracens with a game in hand, but only a point and place in front of the Bears who they beat in last season's final.

"We've got to make some fine tuning within our defence and attack plays, which we've been working really hard because we know this next four weeks is huge - starting this weekend against Bristol," Lynn said.

The club have England number eight Sarah Beckett available for the first time this season, while England prop Maud Muir and back Mia Venner are also likely to feature in the matchday squad after injury lay-offs.

"These are the games these girls want to be playing in - the top-four games - and the tight games and making these hard, tough decisions," Lynn said.

"As a coaching group these are the ones we get excited about.

"You can't get better than a local derby at Kingsholm - fingers crossed the results come for us and we'll just look at us in that top two."