Cardiff and Vale College (CAVC) Rugby Academy has appointed Dai Young as its new Head of Rugby.
Dai joins CAVC with a huge wealth of experience as both a player and a coach, and brings first-class knowledge of the professional rugby world.
Dai’s playing career saw him earn 51 caps for Wales and three test caps for the British and Irish Lions across three tours. As former Wasps and Cardiff Director of Rugby he brings significant top-flight coaching experience that spans over 20 years in the professional game.
CAVC Rugby Academy has become an established and respected pathway for talented young rugby players to gain a high-quality post-16 education in an inspirational sporting environment, reaching their potential both on and off the field. The academy has seen significant success, becoming back-to-back WRU Schools and Colleges Champions in 2021 and 2022 and Welsh Schools and Colleges Development Cup Champions in 2023.
Many players have also progressed to play for their region and achieved national caps, with former players representing Wales U20s and Men’s Senior teams, including Mackenzie Martin and Evan Lloyd in the recent Six Nations.
It is Dai’s passion for the development of player pathway in Wales, alongside the set up at CAVC, that attracted him to his new role. Dai said,
“I have always had a real passion for the development of players in Wales,” he explained. “As a proud Welsh man and wholeheartedly believe that we need to do all we can to develop and retain homegrown talent. Offering the right pathway can do this.
“I’m really impressed with CAVC. It is a fantastic place to study – whatever their aspiration and from a rugby perspective the facilities and commitment to support young players are particularly impressive. The CAVC Rugby Academy already have a track record for developing young regional and international talent and I really believe I can build on the existing success and support.
“I want to ensure the right environment and culture where players feel they are learning and getting better every week. There’s lots of good work already going on in Wales to support and retain young Welsh talent, CAVC is at the forefront and I’m really looking forward to furthering this.”
Kevin Robinson, Assistant Principal for Technology and Sport said: “We are delighted to welcome Dai as Head of Rugby, with such a wealth of knowledge and experience, and a real vision of how we can further enhance what we are doing to support young rugby talent.
“CAVC has developed into a leading college for sport. We are passionate about enabling young people to gain a high-quality education, whether studying A Levels or one of a huge range of career focused courses, alongside benefitting from an inspirational environment to develop in their chosen sport and reach their potential. We are committed to investing in the model we have – with excellent facilities, support, and experienced and respected coaches across our sporting academies. To have Dai leading our Rugby Academy is a really exciting development for the college and our learners who will benefit from the Rugby Academy.”