White recruited by Wales
Craig White, one of rugby's most highly respected conditioning coaches, has been recruited to complete Warren Gatland's national squad coaching team.
White has joined the backroom line-up charged with building the Wales team towards the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in 2011.
The inclusion of White following the recent confirmation of Shaun Edwards, Rob Howley, Robin McBryde and Neil Jenkins is widely recognised as providing the Wales squad with one of the most highly rated coaching teams in world rugby.
He is currently with the squad on a training week in Ireland and takes up the role of Wales conditioning coach immediately before travelling to South Africa for the two-Test tour in June.
Operationally he will work with his fellow Wales conditioning coach Mark Bennett to ensure all squad players and regional or Academy stars pressing for international honours get the best fitness advice and direction possible.
WRU group chief executive Roger Lewis recruited White after Gatland outlined his dream team line-up for the preparation of national squad members and elite players challenging for international honours.
White will also be charged with liaising with the Blues and the Dragons on fitness issues while Mark Bennett will perform the same role with the Scarlets and the Ospreys to assist the regional fitness staff.
Gatland said: "I have worked with Craig at London Wasps and in Ireland and I know the talent and dedication he will bring to his role with Wales will be of great benefit to the players.
"I am extremely pleased with Mark Bennett and to have them both working on player conditioning gives me total confidence that we now have the right balance going forward.
"Since arriving in Wales I have been impressed with the level of co-operation I am getting from the four regions and it is important they will now reap the benefits of this new appointment.
"Craig and Mark have already made great strides as a team in our Irish training camp and we are all looking forward to working together through to RWC 2011."
Lewis, said: "Craig is an extremely impressive individual who has an outstanding record and clearly operates at the forefront of his area of expertise. He has much to offer the game in Wales.
"We already have Mark Bennett who is a great fitness coach and together he and Craig will form an ideal conditioning team which will improve our elite playing expectations as a nation.
"When Warren outlined his vision I was determined to make every effort to get Craig on board with Wales.
"He is good enough to be wanted by any rugby nation in the world so I am delighted that, yet again, a top coach has decided that Wales is the team to work with.
"It is a credit to us as a rugby nation and a credit to the people we already have in place. Good people can recognise excellence and they want to be part of it.
"We are making huge strides here in Wales and the appointment of Craig White is another example of our determination to get everything right on and off the field."
White's last UK role was as head strength and conditioning coach at Leicester and since leaving that post he has considered several opportunities of moving on to fresh challenges within international rugby.
He said: "Wales is a great rugby nation and I am delighted to be joining such a dynamic coaching team and in particular to be working alongside such a highly regarded fitness coach as Mark Bennett.
"Mark's presence here was one of the reasons for me choosing to take on this role, we have been in touch on a professional basis many times over recent years and I believe his skills, knowledge and experience will very much compliment mine and vice versa as we work together towards a promising future.
"I've been aware that this Wales squad under Mark's guidance has made significant developments in key areas in strength and endurance and many of the great things I've heard and seen in relation to the work done here have already been evident in the short time I've spent with the squad in Ireland.
"I have worked closely with Warren before at London Wasps and in Ireland and his presence here is also a powerful factor in my decision to join.
"There is a lot of talent in the Welsh squad and I am very excited about the opportunity this role also gives me."
Outside rugby White has an impressive track record in top class soccer with Bolton Wanderers and has studied with experts from the worlds of athletics and professional boxing.
Former Leicester coach Pat Howard said: "Craig is without doubt one of the best trainers I have worked with and he has a bright future. If I had to use one word to describe Craig, his commitment to winning and improving standards, not just his own but also everyone else's, it would be, relentless."
Sir Clive Woodward said: "Craig is without doubt one of the best practitioners in his field. He is well respected in his field and I had no hesitation in selecting him on the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour."
From Ireland the international centre Brian O'Driscoll added: "The main reason all the lads enjoyed working with Craig is because the training he did with us was aimed not just at making us stronger, fitter and faster but aimed at making us better rugby players."
3:24pm Wednesday 7th May 2008
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