Overview
- Rugby Australia announced on Monday that Tim Walsh will start the new director role on 1 July 2026 and will step down as head coach of the women’s sevens team.
- Walsh’s remit is to run and align the Wallaroos (15-a-side) and the Australia women’s sevens programmes and to lead recruitment for a new Wallaroos coach and a new sevens coach.
- RA has committed to converting the Wallaroos into a full-time professional programme, targeting about 20 full-time player contracts by the end of 2026 and a Sydney-based high-performance hub.
- The push is driven by short timelines — performance at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics for sevens and the 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cup on home soil — while the Wallaroos sit ninth in the world and face talent competition from the NRLW.
- Walsh brings proven sevens success, including the 2016 Olympic gold and the recent SVNS World Championship, and RA hopes the move will boost player retention, raise visibility and grow participation ahead of the home World Cup.