Woodman’s rise gathers pace amid coaching role

Ryan Woodman. Inpho Photography

Wales new boy Ryan Woodman has revealed how moving into coaching has benefited him both on and off the field.

The Dragons RFC flanker has only just turned 22, but he already has four years’ experience as a coach under his belt.

He works with the Youth team at Caldicot RFC which is where his own rugby journey began.

Explaining how it all came about, he says: “It was years ago now. My mate works for one of the coaches and he asked if I could come and help out for a session.

“The head coach wouldn’t let me leave after that! He was messaging me every week asking me to come down and I ended up as one of the coaches.

“There was no intent to go down there but I just ended up going down every week and I like doing it now, so I just turn up.

“I’ve done it for about four years now. I’ve gone all the way through with the same group of players since they were U14s.

“I’m down there most Tuesdays and Thursdays. When I turn up there, they keep me grounded pretty quickly.”

Reflecting further on his coaching role, Woodman said: “It’s definitely helping with my own game.

“When you are trying to explain drills and stuff to the young boys, you talk it through and sometimes it even clicks in your own head.

“You are thinking ‘Hang on, I don’t even do this myself’ and then you end up doing it in training the next day.

“It definitely helps with the thinking side of things, which is huge now in rugby and also when it comes to talking to big groups as well. When you have to get up and talk to 25 lads, it helps with stuff like that.

“You give a bit more grace to your own coaches when you realise how tough it is.

“I am only doing Caldicot Youth, so I can’t imagine what it must be like to be Wales coach. I don’t want to think about it, to be honest!”

As for the future, he says: “It’s my last year with this group now because they are all finishing Youth.

“Hopefully, I will do something else related to coaching with a new group or maybe help the seniors. I’m not sure yet but I definitely want to carry on with that side of things, something outside of playing.”

Woodman progressed from Caldicot to join the Dragons Academy and made his regional debut in December 2022 when he was just 18, going on to captain Wales U20s.

At 6ft 5ins and 16st 11lbs, he can also cover second row but blindside flank is his primary position.

His fine form saw him called up to the Wales squad as a replacement for the injured Taine Plumtree during the Six Nations and he took a lot out of his time in camp where he linked up with another Caldicot product, fellow Dragons pack member Ben Carter.

“It was a really good experience, a load of fun and I learnt a lot,” said the uncapped Woodman.

“The main thing for me was seeing where I need to be to get to that level. Without seeing that environment, you don’t know.

"The intensity of it is something I had never experienced. Obviously, professional rugby is intense but the intensity of training with Wales is another level.

“Hopefully, I can bring a part of that back to my club and try and train like that with the Dragons.

"I've been given work-ons but the main message is to keep doing what I have been doing and hopefully I can progress to get there.

“I definitely still have improvements to make but I am going in the right direction.”

The same could be said of the Dragons who have been far more competitive this season, as they again demonstrated by giving a good account of themselves in last Sunday’s 29-21 defeat to the DHL Stormers in Cape Town.

Now they head to Johannesburg to take on the in-form Fidelity SecureDrive Lions this Saturday.

Commenting on the campaign as a whole, Woodman said: “We’ve been unlucky at times with three draws - potentially that’s three wins and our best season for a while.

“We’ve made so much improvement. We’re a completely different side.

“There are just little moments in games where we’ve let it slip. We want to get those right and earn two or three more wins to end the season positively.”

Giving his thoughts on Woodman, Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia said: “I love what he brings. He brings a lot of things.

“He is only 22. He is still a young man. I’ve seen his growth from last season to where he is now. He’s put on a lot of weight.

“He’s great to work with. He stays calm, he’s very level headed and he calculates things pretty well before he talks.

“He’s a massive learner. He wants to learn, he wants to improve. He’s very ambitious around how he can keep improving as a person. He’s a natural leader. He’s definitely someone who will be a future captain of this club.”

SATURDAY

Fidelity SecureDrive Lions v Dragons RFC

Ellis Park, Johannesburg – KO 2.30pm IRE & UK/3.30pm ITA/4.30pm SA

Referee: Robbie Jenkinson (IRFU, 2nd league game)

AR 1: Hanru van Rooyen (SARU) AR 2: Stephen Geldenhuys (SARU)

TMO: Andrew Brace (IRFU)

Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv