Ioan Cunningham is poised to step down as Wales women’s head coach after a turbulent 2024 season, both on and off the pitch.
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Under Cunningham’s guidance, Wales won only four of their 11 tests in a year marked by disappointment and disruption. The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has also come under fire for its handling of players’ contract negotiations, further adding to the pressure on Cunningham’s tenure.
Cunningham, 41, took over the role in 2021 and was initially expected to lead Wales into the 2025 Rugby World Cup in England. However, like Wayne Pivac’s abrupt departure from the men’s role just months before the 2023 World Cup, Cunningham’s exit seems imminent with less than a year to go before the next global tournament.
Despite the setbacks, Cunningham has overseen significant progress in women’s rugby during his tenure. After stepping in as interim coach in 2021, he revitalised the squad following a challenging period for Welsh women’s rugby, including a critical internal review, the sudden departure of Rowland Phillips, and the short-lived appointment of Warren Abrahams.
Under his leadership, Wales made history with 12 players securing professional contracts in 2022. The team’s performance saw dramatic improvement, highlighted by their best Women’s Six Nations finish in 13 years and a quarter-final berth at the 2022 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. By 2023, the squad reached an all-time high world ranking of sixth and became a part of the top tier of the new WXV1 competition.
However, the momentum stalled in 2024, with Wales enduring a dismal Six Nations campaign, finishing with the dreaded wooden spoon. Despite a brief recovery with a historic win over Australia, the team struggled to perform on the global stage, especially in South Africa, leaving Cunningham’s future at the helm uncertain.
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