Worcester Warriors have confirmed the appointment of former England international Joe Launchbury as the club’s new Head of Academy.
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The 70-cap England lock has recently retired from professional rugby and will now take charge of the Warriors’ academy pathway as the club continues to rebuild for the future.
Launchbury began his playing career with Worthing before joining Wasps, where he became one of the most respected forwards in English rugby. After making his debut in 2011, he went on to make more than 130 appearances for the club across an 11-year spell, serving as captain for several seasons.
Following Wasps’ collapse into administration in 2022, Launchbury spent a season in Japan with Tokyo Verblitz before returning to England with Harlequins, where he played for the past three seasons.
Internationally, Launchbury earned 70 England caps after making his debut against Fiji in 2012. He represented his country at both the 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups and was widely regarded as one of England’s most consistent second rows of the professional era.
Speaking about his new role, Launchbury said he was excited by the opportunity to help develop the next generation of Worcester talent.
“It’s a club with a huge amount of history, especially in the academy area,” he said. “Working with younger players and helping shape their development is something that really excites me.”
Warriors head coach Matt Everard described Launchbury as “one of the best leaders” he has worked with, while CEO Stephen Vaughan said the former England star’s leadership qualities and understanding of player development made him the ideal candidate to lead the academy into a new era.
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