Former Wales Women’s head coach, Warren Abrahams, has sadly passed away at the age of 43. Abrahams was coaching the Belgium national women’s sevens team during a tournament in Nairobi, Kenya, when he unexpectedly passed away. The Belgium Rugby Federation announced the tragic news, expressing mourning for the loss of their head coach, Warren Abrahams, of the BelSevens team. The team has returned to Belgium, receiving necessary psychological support to cope with the sudden loss. The cause of his death has not been disclosed.
Originally from the Western Cape in South Africa, Abrahams played rugby for Durbanville-Bellville and Stellenbosch University before transitioning to coaching. At 43 years old, he had a coaching tenure with Wales Women for nine months and was also involved with USA sevens, the England Sevens men’s team, and the Harlequins academy. Harlequins, his former club, honored him on social media, highlighting his significant impact during his time with the academy from 2011 to 2019. His dedication to player development resonated not only at Harlequins but across the broader rugby community throughout his esteemed career.
After taking over as Wales Women’s head coach in 2020 from Rowland Phillips, Abrahams left his position in less than nine months following a challenging period where the team faced difficulties during the Six Nations amid the Coronavirus pandemic. Eventually, both Abrahams and the WRU parted ways.