Cardiff Rugby academy coach Josh Turnbull will link up with Wales Under 20s as an assistant coach.
The former international, who retired from an illustrious playing career in April 2024 where he made an astonishing 334 top-level appearances with the Scarlets (134) and Cardiff Rugby (200).
By that time, he was already transitioning towards a coaching career having enjoyed previous spells assisting Newcastle Emlyn, Scarlets Under 18s, Carmarthen Quins and within the Cardiff Rugby pathway.
Since retiring Turnbull has enjoyed a short spell with Cardiff RFC and became head coach of Cardiff Rugby Under-18s.
“He did a great job working alongside Richie Pugh in last year’s Wales U18 Six Nations festival where the team went through the competition unbeaten,” said Whiffin, the Wales U20 head coach.
“He knows a lot of the player base coming through to the U20s from his work within the pathway system already. He’s a good up and coming coach focussing on the defence so the boys will get a different voice and a different opinion this year.
“He has had a couple of years with the U18s so it’s a good natural progression into the U20s – certainly from his end he wants to bring a little bit more physicality in the collisions.”
“I’m delighted to be involved with a national age grade team with the U20s,” said Turnbull. “I’m looking forward to helping develop these boys to further their careers and put them on the right trajectory to become professional rugby players as signing contracts to become professional players is their ultimate goal.
“Having spent the last couple of seasons with Richie Pugh in the U18s squad a lot of players have now progressed up to the U20s squad and having that relationship with some of them already will ultimately help us and them be successful.”
Turnbull will continue his role within the Cardiff Rugby Under 18s and academy set-up during his secondment with the Wales U20 squad.
He tasted success with the pathway himself as a player and is already looking forward to being part of the U20s coaching team aiming to repeat last season’s Six Nations success where Wales U20s crushed England’s grand slam hopes at a boisterous Cardiff Arms Park.
“It’s been 19 or 20 years since I was first picked for what was the U19s back then,” recalled Turnbull. “I still have fond memories of playing in those games in the Six Nations. We actually won a Grand Slam in 2006 with a squad which included Brad Davies, Hugh Gustafson, Lou Reed, Jonathan Davies and Rhys Priestland among others.”
Whiffin’s side will host France and Scotland in consecutive weeks in next year’s U20 Six Nations and Turnbull is hoping fans will come out in their droves to replicate the atmosphere created from when Wales ruined England’s grand slam dreams in March.
“When you look back to what that game was like when they beat England in the Six Nations, ultimately you want the players to have those types of experiences before they come fully fledged regional players and that is what a night before big Test matches brings.
“We want fans to come and watch the next generation of Welsh internationals,” said Turnbull.
Wales U20 men’s U20 Six Nations fixtures:
Sat 14 Feb – Wales U20 v France U20, Cardiff Arms Park, 8pm
Sat 20 Feb – Wales U20 v Scotland U20, Cardiff Arms Park, 7.15pm
Sun 15 March – Wales U20 v Italy U20, Rodney Parade, 1pm