McBryde pays tribute to career-inspiring coach

Wales head coach Robin McBryde has paid tribute to the club coach who put him on the right track to international rugby when starting out in north Wales.

McBryde has nothing but praise for former Mold and Wales Youth head coach Denley Isaac who plucked a young Robin McBryde from a North Wales U19 training session and immediately saw the potential in him.

Robin moved from Menai Bridge to Mold and it was there that Isaac was able to have such a strong influence on the young hooker. 

McBryde clearly doesn’t underestimate the impact Denley made on his future career. “I owe it all to Denley. Not in my wildest dreams did I think I could achieve what I have done in the game but Denley gave me the confidence, advice and technical knowledge to make me start to believe that I could go down to South Wales and give rugby a shot.

“Denley was a massive influence on not only me but many others. He saw something in me as a young man, dragged me to Mold and stuck with me even though my first few games didn’t go too well. Slowly but steadily I started to believe in myself but I wouldn’t have done anything in the game if it wasn’t for Denley.”

Before heading down under last week, Robin McBryde took his young Wales young guns to North Wales for a training camp. CLICK HERE for video

Given the way McBryde’s career developed from humble beginnings to winning 37 caps for Wales, he is quick to recognise the importance of community coaches to Welsh rugby and invited 100 North Wales community coaches to watch one of the Wales squad’s training sessions at Parc Eirias before the match against RGC.

“I have really happy memories at Mold. I wasn’t there long but the amount I learned from Denley is huge. Community coaches are massively important. The impact they have on young boys and girls, firstly in taking up the game and then maintaining their interest especially when things start to get serious around the 16 to 18 age mark is priceless especially given that they don’t ask for anything in return, just the enjoyment they gain from seeing the players under their tutelage get better.

“That’s a good feeling I’ve experienced it myself as a coach – the knowledge you’ve helped someone along the way. Denley did that for many players over the years and long may that continue with the coaches in the community game now.”

Denley said, “I first met Robin as an 18 year old at a North Wales under 19 training session and he was obviously good. At the end of the season I warned him that the next age group in North Wales was under 23 so he should work on the weights. At the start of the next season I didn’t recognise him he’d worked so hard in the gym which was typical of Robin’s attitude.

“I had done some coaching courses with Kevin Bowring, the then Wales U21 coach and I suggested to him that he must look at Robin as he was that good. At that time, North Wales players didn’t have many opportunities but Robin took his chance with the Wales U21 squad and progressed from there.”

The rest as they say is history. Isaac also had an influence on another key figure in the North Wales game currently – RGC head coach Mark Jones – selecting him as one of the first mid Wales players to play for Wales Youth. Isaac believes a key role of a community coach is to help players move on to bigger and better things.

“There are some very good coaches in the club game. It’s important with talented players that they help them move on to a higher standard of rugby – other clubs if neceesary – if they have the potential.”

With the recent success enjoyed by RGC and the growth of rugby in North Wales, Robin admits to feeling a pang of jealousy looking in on the current pathway for players in the region.

“There are so many options now in North Wales compared to when I started out. The brand and name Eirias has created for itself as the home of Wales U20 and watching RGC’s progress, especially in winning the National Cup this year you can’t help but feel slightly jealous of the opportunity North Wales players now have to play and represent their own region.If you are a young player aspiring to get better you want to play for RGC.”

Colwyn Bay junior coach Rupert Corner echoed that sentiment.
“Every player in our club wants to play for RGC – the boys have all got their sights on the RGC u16 squad – that’s the beauty of the system that’s been set up here now, and now there’s a girls pathway too with the new clusters and it’s working brilliantly. There are other great team sports but for me, the values of rugby are hard to beat.”