Robin McBryde

Robin Currie McBryde (born 3 July 1970) is a Welsh rugby union former player and coach. He gained 37 caps for Wales. He played hooker.

Background McBryde was born in north Wales.

He is a fluent Welsh speaker.

McBryde worked as an overhead linesman before becoming a professional rugby player.

Rugby playing career McBryde first played club rugby for Bangor RFC, Porthaethwy and for the North Wales team. He then moved to South Wales in search of a higher standard of rugby. He joined Swansea then moved to Llanelli, making his first appearance for the club on 1 October 1994 against Cardiff. He captained Llanelli when they won the Welsh Cup in 1998 and the Welsh Championship in 1999 and later played for the Llanelli Scarlets regional side when they were formed in 2003. He played 250 games for Llanelli and the Scarlets between 1994 and 2005 scoring 19 tries.

He won his first cap for Wales against Fiji in 1994. His last international appearance was as a replacement in the match against Ireland in March 2005 which saw Wales clinch the Grand Slam.

He was selected for the 2001 British Lions tour to Australia, appearing against Western Australia, Queensland Presidents XV, Australia A and New South Wales, before he was unfortunately forced out of the tour by injury and replaced by Dorian West.

In August 2005 he announced his retirement from rugby following surgery to remove a disc from the top of his spine.

Rugby coaching career After retiring from playing, McBryde was appointed coach of the Scarlets Regional Under 18 team.

He was subsequently appointed forwards coach for the Welsh national team. Gravell died in October 2007 and McBryde was confirmed in the role at the Gorsedd's 2008 annual meeting. McBryde uses the bardic name of 'Robin o Fôn'.