Maurice Kambukwe
WINDHOEK – Phil Davies, who coached the Welwitschias at last year Rugby World Cup in Japan, has rejoined English championship outfit Yorkshire Carnegie as rugby director.
According to The Yorkshire Post, Davies was appointed recently as the director of rugby after the club announced the sacking of former England international Martyn Woods.
Davies, 56, was previously in charge at Headingley between 1996 and 2006. He led the club – then Leeds Tykes – into the Premiership and Heineken Cup, as well as winning the 2005 Powergen Cup final. After leaving Yorkshire, the former Llanelli forward coached Welsh regions Cardiff Blues and Scarlets.
He also led Namibia to consecutive World Cups in 2015 and 2019. The Yorkshire Post quoted Davies as saying he was honoured to return to the club where he made his debut as a coach.
The club is currently in position 12 of the highly competitive second tier of the English rugby union league.
“I am honoured to be returning to the club. When a friend or family member is in need, your natural reaction is to offer any help you can, and the club has always felt like family to me,” The Yorkshire Post quoted Davies as saying.
“First and foremost, I want to work with the current coaching and playing staff to move things forward and fight to keep our place in the Greene King IPA Championship. We will look to strengthen the squad in the short term, if possible, but looking longer term. We want to create a strategic plan for Rugby Union in Leeds to provide a sustainable future for the sport at an elite level in the city.”