Ospreys rugby are delighted to announce the appointment of James Hook as Skills and Kicking Coach.
After an illustrious career that spanned 16 years, the Ospreys legend hung up his boots back at the end of May this year after notching up an impressive 149 appearances with his home region. Now Hook wants to turn his attention to coaching and has taken up the opportunity to do so at the Ospreys.
“I always remember Neil Jenkins taking me under his wing as a youngster and how important that was for me. The knowledge he passed onto me was invaluable and something I want to be able to do as a coach.”
Hook will bring with him plenty of experience to the role. He currently sits in second place on the all-time Ospreys point scorer list with 841 points. All told, he's dotted the ball over the whitewash 19 times and slotted the ball through the sticks 290 times for the region.
On the coaching front, Hook already has experience and qualifications under his belt after spending last season as Attack Coach for the Ospreys U18s and assisting the younger kickers in the senior squad.
“I’m coming to the end of my level 3 in coaching, which had to be put on hold due to the lockdown, but it’s pretty much done and obviously going to be a huge help going forward in my coaching career.
“People always associate the kickers being the outside-half or the fullback, but for me as a coach it’s not just about those but the centres, the half-backs and the back three as well. It’s about working with all the backline to make them better kickers and all-round better players. They’ll have to put the hard work in but if I can pass my knowledge down to them to help the team improve then I’ve done my job.
Speaking about the appointment, Rugby General Manager, Dan Griffiths said:
“We are delighted to retain Hooky at the Ospreys. His achievements in the game and the experience he has acquired in both the international game, and on the domestic front in Wales, England and France gives him a wealth of knowledge to pass on to young players within the Ospreys pathway.
"In addition to his experience he is a fantastic role model, a diligent professional who always invested time and effort in his preparation, and in the young players around him. As with all our former players who have transitioned to staff, it’s about retaining individuals who add value, epitomise the character and commitment needed to drive the region forward and can support Ospreys players to be the best they can be.
“I’m sure that Hooky will be a great addition to the coaching staff, and continue to inspire young players as he did in an Ospreys shirt.”