The Wales Dragonhearts Rugby League side have announced their backroom staff for the 2011 season as they attempt to win back their Home Nations trophy that they sacrificed to the Scots in 2010.
Representatives of the Welsh Conference, they will once again take on equivalent sides from England, Scotland and Ireland.
Bridgend Blue Bulls provide two of the backroom staff with their player-coach Craig Fox being appointed Head Coach and Simon Green successfully applying for the Team Manager’s job.
Fox has an outstanding record as a player with Bridgend Blue Bulls and has been a Community Coach with Wales Rugby League for a number of years. He has had a successful start to 2011 with Bulls unbeaten so far and hot favourites to win the Welsh title for the first time in three years.
Green, the Chairman of Bridgend Blue Bulls, is a valued long-time volunteer for Wales Rugby League, he regularly writes and contributes to the official website and pens the Welsh Conference match previews for the media on a weekly basis.
Mike Healy from Neath Port Talbot Steelers has been appointed Assistant Coach. An experienced player and coach for the Steelers and the Dragonhearts guiding the latter to the 2009 title, Healy will be a valuable addition to the coaching staff.
Mark Jones, National Development Manager for Wales Rugby League said: “We had a lot of interest in the positions and we’d like to thank everyone for applying. We believe we have a winning team here as they look to win back our trophy and we wish them all the best for the forthcoming matches.
“Wales Rugby League would like to thank last year’s staff - Earl Palmer, John Ellis and Martyn Coomber - for their commitment and support. We had a strong team last year that only just fell short and they left a good legacy for the future.”
2011 will be the tenth year that that this trophy has been contested with Wales lifting the cup seven times in the first nine years.
In these nine years, 27 Dragonhearts players have gone on to turn professional including Aled James, Elliot Kear, Gil Dudson, Jamie Murphy, Steve Parry and Tom Brown, the latter now a rugby union player who has recently signed for Newport Gwent Dragons from Cardiff Blues.
Richard Hibbard, now a Wales Rugby Union international while playing for Ospreys, also made an appearance for the Dragonhearts when playing Rugby League for Aberavon in 2003.
Wales kick off their campaign in Ireland on Saturday 2nd July before hosting Scotland on Saturday 16th July and England on Saturday 6th August. They are starting their preparations this Sunday with an invited trial at Porthcawl RFC.