The Scarlets have appointed Aaron Dundon as their lead forwards coach ahead of the new season.
Dundon joins the Llanelli region from Leinster, the Irish province that won back-to-back United Rugby Championship titles.
He will take charge of the Scarlets’ forwards, overseeing the scrum, lineout, maul and contact areas as the region prepares for the new URC campaign.
Born in New Zealand, Dundon is a former Leinster player who made 49 appearances for the province before moving into coaching. His coaching career has taken in roles with Leinster, Ireland Under-20s, French clubs Grenoble and La Rochelle, Ulster, and Tasman Mako in New Zealand’s provincial championship.
The Scarlets’ director of rugby, Nigel Davies, said Dundon had come highly recommended.
“Aaron is someone who has been highly recommended by people whose opinions I trust enormously. Every conversation came back to the same qualities; his technical expertise, his preparation, attention to detail and ability to develop forward packs that consistently perform under pressure,” Davies said.
“He has developed within one of the strongest coaching systems in world rugby and has worked alongside some outstanding coaches throughout his career. Just as importantly, he is passionate about developing players, building strong relationships and continually driving standards.”
Davies said the club had wanted someone who could lead the entire forwards programme while keeping every area aligned.
“We wanted someone who could lead our entire forwards programme while ensuring every area works together. Aaron brings that leadership, but he also understands the importance of collaboration,” he said.
Dundon will work alongside the region’s existing lineout coach, Albert van den Berg, and Bradley Davies, who covers the contact area.
His arrival also allows Emyr Phillips, who had been combining scrum coaching with leading the Scarlets Academy, to move into a full-time academy role next season. Davies paid tribute to Phillips, saying his work developing the next generation of players was “fundamental to the long-term future of our club”.
Dundon said joining the Scarlets was an opportunity he relished.
“Joining a club with the history, ambition and identity of the Scarlets is a fantastic opportunity and one I’m incredibly excited about,” he said. “I’m looking forward to working closely with Dwayne Peel, Nigel Davies and the rest of the coaching team to help drive the club forward.”
He set out the style he wants to build, saying a strong set-piece would give the squad a platform.
“With a physical and dominant set-piece, the talented players in this squad can express themselves and play the exciting and expansive brand of rugby the Scarlets are renowned for,” he said.
“There’s a huge amount of potential within this group. The club has a fantastic squad which is building and I’m excited by what we can achieve together. The passion and backing of the Scarlets supporters are well-known throughout the game globally and I can’t wait to get started.”
The appointment is part of a wider strengthening of the Scarlets coaching group ahead of the new URC season, with the region having recently confirmed a new deal for captain Josh MacLeod.
