Paul Berry has been appointed as the new Wales head coach, succeeding John Kear as the boss of the senior men’s team after the 70-year-old stepped down early in July after more than a decade at the helm.
The 41-year-old Berry first joined the Wales set-up in 2019 as assistant to Lee Crooks as part of the Under-16 programme and in 2021 was promoted to head coach of the Wales U17 side in the one year that it ran post-Covid, before taking over the U16s.
Berry was promoted to head of youth in 2023 and is the most successful youth coach in Wales Rugby League history, leading the U16 side to home and away wins over England in 2022, followed by three successive U16 Four Nations titles – all with a 100% winning record.
“I’m excited for the challenge, I’m also really grateful for chairman James Davies, CEO Richard Hibbard, and the board for showing trust in me to lead the team moving forward,” said Berry.