Rugby evening headlines as Welsh coach reportedly set for shock switch of jobs and star targets Wales return

Your rugby headlines for the evening of Sunday April 17.

Wales women could be on the brink of losing their coach in a shock job switch, claim reports.

According to the Mail, Wales boss Ioan Cunningham is set to leave his current role after this year's World Cup and take charge of the Wales under-20s side instead. The paper report that under-20s boss Byron Hayward, a former amateur boxer, plans to return to that sport instead as a coach.

The Mail say the news means "Wales women's progression since they handed 12 players professional contracts at the start of the year is set to be hit by the departure of Cunningham."

It remains to be seen exactly how this pans out, but sources at the Welsh Rugby Union on Sunday were certainly mystified by the reports. They were distancing themselves from the speculation when suggestions Cunningham and Hayward could be leaving their posts was put to them.

The Women's World Cup takes place in New Zealand in October and November and newly professionalised Wales are on an upward curve, having beaten Ireland and Scotland in their Six Nations opener before losing heavily to England.

As with Wayne Pivac's senior team, Hayward's Welsh under-20s side had a hugely disappointing Six Nations campaign of their own. They managed just a solitary victory over Scotland and finished second from bottom.

Young Wales shipped 53 points against Ireland in their opening match, were heavily defeated 43-14 by England, lost 46-15 at home to France and were then also beaten by Italy in their finale.

Their results, coupled with the Six Nations outcome for Dan Biggar and his team plus the failings of the Welsh regions, led to calls for change amid talk of a fully blown crisis in the Welsh game.

Sam Davies is still