New coach joins Wales set up

The Wales national rugby team has unveiled its latest signing - National squad strength and conditioning coach Adam Beard, who first reported for duty at the WRU National Centre of Excellence training camp last week.

Beard joins Wales from the institute of sport in Qatar. He has a background in elite sport in Australia, including working at the prestigious Australian institute of sport, rugby league and Aussie Rules Football.

He also spent 2 years with English Institute of Sport / UK Athletics working on strength and conditioning for the GB team athletes at the 2004 Athens Olympics

National squad physical performance manager, Craig White, has appointed Beard, an integral member of his department, in time to aid preparations for Wales' Invesco Perpetual Series opener against New Zealand on Saturday.

The Australian born fitness expert said he is impressed by the facilities at WRU headquarters as well as the general attitude of Wales' rugby stars.

Beard said: "The players here have been very receptive and they work hard, there is no arrogance there, they know that it is only hard work and listening to the expert advice that will get them where they want to go.

"I've fitted in really well already, but the next step is to see where I can add to things. Strength and conditioning needs to be more and more individualised all the time, it's not just about a relentless obsession to keep fit, but about improving in key areas."

Beard has been a consultant to South African rugby as well as working for the sports institutes in both Australia and England, but most recently has been involved in a national sports programme in Qatar.

"I've been working for a national programme called Aspire in the middle east mainly on strength and conditioning in the areas of track and field, but I have a background in Australia in rugby league, with the Western Reds and in Aussie rules football with the Fremantle Dockers," added Beard.

"In 2003 I worked with the English institute and then later for UK Athletics, working through to Athens with the Great Britain Athletics team.

"I think one of the key things I can bring to this team, and I suspect what Craig White was looking for when he interviewed for this position, is a different skill set to compliment what is already here.

"I'm going to be looking very much at the mechanics of the athletes we have here and how can make them even more efficient and even faster on the pitch."

WRU national squad performance manager Craig White added:

"I'm delighted to welcome Adam on board. He is an extremely well respected practitioner in his field and brings with him an invaluable amount of expertise in coaching strength and conditioning in top class athletes.

"Rugby is something of a hybrid sport with an array of skill sets necessary and competing demands on the body. Adam's knowledge of athletics, track and field and his extensive back ground in a variety of other sports will be an asset to Welsh rugby."