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Irish Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Former Wales and Lions rugby star Mark Jones dies in Qatar aged just 59
Former Welsh rugby star Mark Jones, who excelled in both union and league, has died at the age of 59 after tragically suffering a heart attack while in Qatar. Jones, who had been living in Abu Dhabi since relocating there in 2005, was working out in a gym when he suddenly collapsed. Known for his time as a formidable No. 8, he earned 15 caps with the Welsh rugby union team and also represented his country 11 times in rugby league, securing a Great Britain appearance along the way. His club career included stints with Neath and Ebbw Vale in union, and Hull FC and Warrington in league, where he built a reputation for his uncompromising style and intense physicality. He was no stranger to controversy on the pitch – picking up six red cards and clocking up over 33 weeks of suspensions for foul play. Off the field, Jones openly struggled with a stammer, a condition he said left him feeling "self-loathing and hate" after he retired – contributing to what he described as "a lot of bad things" during his playing career. Speaking to WalesOnline, Jones previously discussed the toll his speech impediment took on his mental health and how an intervention from Wales fitness coach Steve Black, who arranged therapy for him, helped him begin to heal. Jones was a central figure in Neath's dominant late-80s side, which led to his selection for the Welsh national team. He marked his debut in 1987 with a try against Scotland. By 1991, the Tredegar-born powerhouse joined the wave of players moving from the amateur union game to the paid ranks of rugby league, switching roles to play prop. Clive Griffiths, his former coach with the Welsh league team, paid tribute: "Scooby was a giant in both codes, and the fact that he went on to play for Great Britain as well, speaks volumes for his ability as a player. "He was part and parcel of that great era of Welsh rugby league until rugby union went back professional in 1995. From 1991-95, he was an ever-present in the Welsh squad. "Everybody loved him as a man first and foremost. I recently read his book and it's just so interesting to read about his life. For me, it's like losing one of the family. We're so tight as a group, the team of 1995, and we're always in touch. It's difficult to explain the depth of feeling from that group of players right now. "Scooby was different in all every sense of the word, in the nicest possible way. He always called me boss, right up until now. He was a brilliant man, one of the best and that's why he was loved so much." After stepping away from the sport in 2005 following final spells with Pontypool, Neath and Aberavon, Jones spent some time coaching before embarking on a new chapter in Qatar, where he worked as a lab technician at the Abu Dhabi International School. Mike Nicholas, President of Wales Rugby League, also honoured his memory: "He was a terrific tourist and a great guy. I was his team manager with Wales in 1995 with Wales and he was a brilliant character on our tour of America. "A fantastic player and team-mate and he'll be missed by all who knew him. My condolences to his friends and family."
BBC News
14-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
No English allegiances for Wales coach Sherratt
Men's Six Nations: Wales v EnglandVenue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff Date: Saturday, 15 March Kick-off: 16:45 GMTCoverage: Watch on BBC One, BBC Sport website and app, plus S4C via iPlayer. Text commentary and highlights on BBC Sport website and app. Listen live on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio 5 Live. Interim Wales head coach Matt Sherratt will find himself in an unusual situation this his final game in temporary charge, the English-born coach will be plotting the downfall of England when the two sides meet in the Six Nations finale in in Gloucester within a drop-kick of the famous Kingsholm ground, Sherratt grew up in a household that was fiercely divided on rugby days between an English father and his Tredegar-born mother."I used to have to sit between my mum and dad to split them up and then I'd switch sides depending on who won," Sherratt joked. "I probably went through the generations. In the 1970's I was probably wearing red a little bit more and then come the 1990's and early 2000's my dad's voice probably took over the house a little bit more."He's going to the game at the weekend and I've managed to change him I think [from England to Wales]. I don't know how long for, but definitely for this weekend." Foot in both camps? So will it be weird viewed as an Englishman coaching Wales this weekend?"I've worked in Wales for so long, and when you watch Wales when you're not coaching then you get attached to the players, so there's no question marks on allegiances," said Sherratt."I've got so much familiarity with a lot of the Welsh players - probably three-quarters of the squad I've coached before and have personal relationships with so I'm more interested in that than what country I was born in."Cardiff head coach Sherratt came in for a three-game period after head coach Warren Gatland had stepped down following the away loss in Rome, a 14th successive said before the Ireland game he was meant to be watching the game next door in the Arms Park clubhouse for his brother-in-law's 50th birthday. Family interest in tickets for this weekend's game has peaked even was emotional this week when asked about his final game in charge as he highlighted the role his family have played."The Cardiff boys will tell you, I have a wobble probably two or three times a season, as soon as it becomes about family it's pretty easy to go," said Sherratt."But I have loved it, I'm not going to hide away from it, it's something I'm proud of and enjoyed and so have the family."My son's main motivation is getting on the pitch afterwards. I had to knock on the door of the Scottish changing room so he could have photos with Finn Russell. "He enjoys that and he's pestering me about trying to meet Fin Smith and Marcus Smith this weekend. I think he's more interested in his Instagram account." Lifting spirits after tough times Sherratt has added positivity to the beleaguered Wales team with plenty of fun on show in the final training session before the England have still been two more defeats against Ireland and Scotland which has taken the losing sequence to 16. On Six Nations 'Super Saturday' Wales have traditionally been in the hunt for Six Nations titles or Grand Slams. Now they are hoping to avoid a second successive Wooden statistics are stark. Wales' most recent Test match victory came against World Cup pool opponents Georgia in October been beaten in all four games of this campaign, Wales are bidding to avoid a 17th successive Test defeat, which would be the most for a tier one nation in the professional hope to miss out on an 11th Six Nations consecutive loss with the previous win against Italy in March are bidding to avoid a clean sweep of defeats in successive tournaments for the first time in their myth Cardiff provides home comforts has also been dispelled. Wales have lost their previous eight home games after defeating England in August have also been defeated in the past eight Six Nations matches at the Principality Stadium since beating Scotland in February 2022. Easing the burden Before he agreed to taking on the role, former teacher Sherratt admitted he thought about the toll the losing sequence would be taking on young captains like Jac Morgan, Dafydd Jenkins and Dewi Lake."I remember watching the games more as a supporter and seeing Jac, Dewi and Daf in interviews afterwards," said Sherratt."As a coach and maybe an ex-teacher, I hoped it wasn't something they were taking home with them. "They should be at the stage of their career where they're just loving playing for Wales. "Those three lead by example and I know how much it means for them to play for Wales."My role coming in was to take some of the burden off them. So they could go out on the weekend and enjoy playing without too much of the history and media stuff." No permanent ambition Whatever happens in Cardiff this weekend, Sherratt says he will not throw his hat into the ring permanently. He always stated this three-match spell was temporary even if Wales beat England."I'm going to go back to Cardiff as head coach on Monday," said Sherratt."I've not changed on that. It's a big job and for three games it's been a massively enjoyable campaign. "My instinct is it needs someone fresh to come in and probably not where I am as a coach."I've been a head coach for 18 months, I wasn't forced into it, but the circumstances... it fitted really well at Cardiff. "I've always been self-aware in terms of where I am in my development and feel I need a bit more time in the saddle as a head coach at club level."England have the chance to lift the Six Nations trophy in Cardiff on Saturday night with Wales lock Dafydd Jenkins saying that scenario "cannot happen"."I've not thought of that, I would just like the team to do well for the team," said Sherratt."Everything I've tried to bring in has been about what's best for the team and for Wales. "I'd love the players to get some reward for a lot of the work they've put in over the last few weeks." Finishing with a win And finishing off with that elusive win? "It would be huge," said Sherratt."That's a massive motivation. I would love to sign off [with a win], not for me but for the players and staff who have been here for a long time. "It's important it's not something we talk about a huge amount about in camp or you can get a bit desperate. "Maybe the emotion takes over some technical or tactical aspects. There'll be emotion on Saturday and stacks of heart. It's getting that balance between heart and brain. "If that win comes, it would give everyone a massive lift, especially against England at home."But especially for certain sections of the Sherratt family.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Who is new Wales caretaker head coach Matt Sherratt?
The thought of an Englishman coaching Wales would normally have been too much to bare for many a fan - but these are dark times for Welsh rugby. Trapped in the grip of the worst losing run in its 144-year history, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has done the seemingly unthinkable by appointing its first English head coach. Tony Gray, born in Stoke, led Wales between 1985 and 1988 but had twice worn the Three Feathers on his chest. But Matt Sherratt is seen as the ideal motivational figure who, if nothing else, can lift spirits within the Wales camp for the remainder of the Six Nations. Born in Gloucester within a drop-kick of Kingsholm, Sherratt grew up in a household that was fiercely divided on rugby days between an English father and his Tredegar-born mother. So it was perhaps inevitable that his coaching career would straddle Offa's Dyke. Having cut his teeth at Gloucester and Cheltenham, Sherratt spent four years at Worcester Warriors academy, before becoming an attack specialist for Bristol, Ospreys and Cardiff before being handed his first head coach role at the Arms Park just 20 months ago. With his teaching background, Sherratt has gained a reputation as a man-manager, a motivator and a mentor for young players. Last season alone, the likes of Cam Winnett, Mason Grady, Ellis Bevan, Alex Mann, Corey Domachowski and Keiron Assiratti, Evan Lloyd, Efan Daniel, Mackenzie Martin all graduated under Sherratt at Cardiff to the national team. "He is very well spoken of, a real people-person and man-manager and we felt, right now, that was a really important criteria and meant his could hit the ground running in the middle of the Six Nations," explained WRU chief executive Abi Tierney. Warren Gatland replaced - Wales conference as it happened Gatland leaves Wales head coach role during Six Nations Tompkins apologises to Wales fans after loss to Italy Sherratt said he could not turn down the offer that came out of the blue on Monday night but has already ruled himself out of the job beyond the Six Nations, having recently signed a long-term deal with Cardiff. His first task is to decide the future of his backroom staff, including Rob Howley who, ironically, handed him the Wales attack coach job between 2016 and 2017. Then he has roughly four training sessions with the beleaguered Wales squad to try and repair their decimated confidence enough to put up some sort of contest against the reigning Six Nations champions Ireland in Cardiff on 22 February. Looking a little shell-shocked at Tuesday's WRU press conference and dressed in his Cardiff gear, he said: "I've been in sport long enough to know it's pretty bumpy and you're never going to be offered an opportunity when things are going well. "It feels like when I started at Cardiff who were also a low ebb so I told Abi the first thing to start with is a mindset shift. "It's going to be very difficult to change a huge amount technically and tactically in such a short period but we've got to put some structures in place that everyone buys into and then have a really positive attitude. "There are experienced players in that dressing room and if I go in there talking about trying our best and performance then you've lost the room immediately. They're international players for a reason and they want to win." Bizarrely it could be the experience of a 12-year-old boy that shapes how Wales play for the rest of this championship. Sherratt told a story of taking his sports-mad son to a Premier League match at Liverpool, a Hundred cricket game at Glamorgan and then an unnamed rugby match in Wales. "At the rugby match he asked if we could leave at 55 minutes. It was a kick-fest. I actually thought, 'how sad is it that there is a 12-year-old who loves sport and wants to leave the game," Sherratt recalled. "I'm at the stage of my career when it's important to me that people want to enjoy watching a team play - but not at the expense of losing, that's really important. "But I want players to go out and be brave and if there is a 50-50 on then take a brave option." Former Wales centre Ashley Beck worked under Sherratt at Worcester. He said: "He [Sherratt] knows it's more than just rugby, it's about people as well. He gets into the nuts and bolts of what makes people tick, even having fun sometimes. "At this point maybe that's what the squad needs, to relax, enjoy training and playing at international level and obviously performances will get better." Right now, after 14 successive Test defeats, Welsh rugby would do anything to raise a smile once more.
