Walters leaves England for Irish challenge
ALED Walters has left his role as England's head of strength and conditioning to take up a position as head of athletic performance with Ireland.
Walters joined England from Leicester Tigers before the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The Welshman, who was head of athletic performance for the 2019 World Cup-winning Springboks, replaces Jason Cowman in the role.
Walters, who was Munster's head of athletic performance for almost six seasons prior to joining Tigers, said: “I am delighted to join the Ireland national team and am excited about the opportunity to work with such a talented group of coaches and players.
“The Ireland team has gone from strength to strength in recent years and it's an exciting time to rejoin Irish rugby as the team looks to achieve more success in the years to come.
“I've made some great memories coaching England, and I want to thank Steve, the management team and the players for their friendship and support.”
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell said: “He has a wealth of experience and has been a key part of many successful environments over the course of his career.
“I know how excited he is to return to Ireland and hit the ground running and I'm confident that he'll play an important role in the squad as we embark on a busy international season, starting with the Autumn Nations Series this November.
“Aled replaces Jason Cowman who departed after the Six Nations success in March. Jason contributed a huge amount to Irish rugby over 15 years and we thank him for his incredible service.”
Mike Catt has joined Dan McKellar's Waratahs on a three-year deal after leaving his role at Ireland's attack coach following the 1-1 drawn series against the Springboks this summer.
World Cup winner Catt, who played 75 Tests for England, was attack coach for London Irish, England and Italy before joining Farrell's team.
