Cardiff players return to training and don't know who's there to coach them

Cardiff begin pre-season training on Monday with players in the dark over who will take charge of sessions.

The coaching situation at the Arms Park is up in the air at the moment, following director of rugby Dai Young's suspension ahead of the final game of last season.

Young's future is still unclear for the time being, being dependent on an investigation into complaints over his behaviour towards club employees.

But much of his coaching ticket has gone already elsewhere.

Defence coach Richard Hodges has headed to Zebre, forwards coach T Rhys Thomas is off to Gloucester, scrum Duane Goodfield has left coaching for a medical equipment job and assistant coach Richie Rees is understood to be on the radar of a Japanese club.

That just leaves attack coach Matt Sherratt, with senior Cardiff players privately admitting they're in the dark over who will be taking charge of sessions when pre-season resumes on Monday.

While players don't currently know who will be coaching them this week, they are understanding of the situation and why it needs to be resolved correctly - even if it does leave them out of the loop heading into the start of pre-season.

Cardiff's pre-season training was due to begin on June 5th, but was pushed back amid the uncertainty.

The Arms Park side saw 16 players leave at the end of this season, as tightened budgets saw them unable to offer competitive contracts to players. With 11 players in the 50-man Wales World Cup training squad after Rhys Carre was dropped by Warren Gatland, Cardiff face starting the pre-season with roughly 20 players in camp.

With squad numbers dwindling, the idea of training against other regions throughout next season has been floated, while a formal regional loan system has also been considered.

READ NEXT:

• The forgotten man who could force his way into Wales' final Rugby World Cup squad

• WRU make historic appointment as independent chair revealed and new director joins board

• Meet Jonny Green, the Harlequins enforcer hoping to give Wales' tyros an edge in South Africa

• Who is Taine Plumtree, the Scarlets' exciting transfer target sure to interest Warren Gatland

• The return of Mark Jones, the Wales star who went around the world to become the best coach possible