DEAN RYAN RETURNS TO SEDBERGH SCHOOL SUMMER RUGBY ACADEMY

Dean Ryan, the Rugby Football Union’s newly appointed head of international player development, returned to Sedbergh School this month to lead his fourth year of residential rugby training courses for young players aged 10 to 15, extending to an elite Under 16s group for the third week.

Ryan played Number 8 for England and has been Technical Analyst for Sky Sports, Six Nations Coach and Premiership Head Coach. He left Worcester Warriors as manager to take up his new role with the RFU and will work with academies and national team coaches, overseeing young players and preparing them for international play.

“This is an opportunity for English rugby to take the next step and become a dominant force in world rugby,” Ryan said. “To do this we need to ensure we continue to develop a world-class pathway system for our players and elite coaches. I am looking forward to getting to know many of our younger players. It is great to return to Sedbergh School to coach on the summer course this year.

“Having the opportunity to work with young players on courses such as the Sedbergh School Summer Course, is driven by my desire to give them an insight into Premier league play but to get the balance between technical skills, tactics and enjoyment.

Sedbergh is a fantastic place, with an impressive rugby heritage, and I enjoy coming back each year. I have a fantastic time and hope that the number of returning faces is testament to the work we do out on the field. Young players can expect to be challenged and tested but to have a fantastic time and to be completely knackered at the end of the course!” 

Neil Rollings, Managing Director of Independent Coach Education, based in Kendal, said: “We are delighted for Dean, who is one of our head coaches at the Sedbergh School summer course.

Hundreds of children have benefitted from Dean’s coaching at Sedbergh over the last four years and we offer him our congratulations. He is joined by a number of other coaches, all with impressive professional rugby pedigrees; some are current Sedbergh School staff such as the England U16 Attack Coach Jason Duffy, U15s national Natwest cup winning side coach and Physics teacher Chris Swainson, and Old Sedberghian James Doherty, who will be Head Coach of Wharfedale RFC this season.”

For more information on Sedbergh Summer Courses and the wide range of choice, from rugby and netball to riding and athletics, please visit http://summercourses.sedberghschool.org

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