George Skivington to coach England A side against Portugal
George Skivington will be in charge of the England A side
©Steve Haag
Gloucester head coach George Skivington will be in charge of England A for the game against Portugal on 25th February.
Northampton's Sam Vesty has been named the attack coach while Gloucester's Dom Waldouck will be taking over the defence coach role.
“It’s a massive honour to be asked by Conor O’Shea and Steve Borthwick to lead the England Men’s A team next month," said Skivington.
"I recognise the trust they have placed in me with this opportunity, and I look forward to linking up with the coaching group and the squad in February."
Skivington transitioned into coaching after a thriving playing career at Wasps, concluding in 2016. His coaching journey began with Samoa in 2015, followed by an assistant coaching role at London Irish from 2016 to 2020. Subsequently, he assumed the position of head coach at Gloucester Rugby in 2020.
The 41-year-old is well acquainted with the England A team atmosphere, having served as captain several times. He led the team to victory in the Churchill Cup in 2010 and notably contributed to a 66-0 triumph over Portugal while playing for the squad in 2009.
RFU Executive Director of Performance Rugby Conor O’Shea expressed full confidence on Skivington and his back room staff as they look to make a mark against Portugal.
“On behalf of the RFU, I’d like to thank both Gloucester and Northampton, alongside Premiership Rugby, for their collaboration and effort in assembling what is a very exciting coaching panel ahead of our Men’s A fixture against Portugal next month.?
?“We’re fortunate to possess a coaching staff boasting a wealth of experience in the game that totals decades and will be a fantastic match for the appropriate challenge of Os Lobos.?
“Each member of the coaching staff was picked with the consideration of their ability to develop young players and bringing international talent to the top of English rugby. ?
“This fixture, as well as the England Men’s A games to come, aims to elevate that platform and build a consistent pathway for young English players into the senior level of the game in this country.”
