St.Helens R.F.C. is delighted to announce the appointment of Alan Hunte (Saint #1011) as Head Coach of our Women’s First Team.
The legendary former St.Helens player, a proud member of the Club’s Hall of Fame, returns to the Club he scored 189 tries in 244 appearances for. During his time in the famous Red V strip, Hunte won the Premiership, Super League and Challenge Cup, and went on to represent both England and Great Britain.
Hunte actually began his coaching career as a young player at Saints, taking his first steps with his coaching credentials at our club. Towards the end of his playing career at Salford, he took on an assistant coaching role before becoming Player Performance Manager and then Head of Youth at the Greater Manchester club. He also stepped up to take charge of the First Team as Interim Head Coach.
Following his time with Salford, Hunte worked within the England pathways system, serving as Assistant Coach of England’s Under-16s before becoming Head Coach of the national Under-15s side. Through his work in the England player development pathway, he coached a number of talented young players, including Jack Welsby, Herbie Farnworth and Dom Young, who have since gone on to establish themselves as international players.
Hunte has continued to be involved in rugby league as a commentator for BBC local radio, including BBC Radio Merseyside, where he has covered Saints matches. The former back has also worked with the Rugby Football League as part of the Operational Rules Tribunal since 2021.
Women’s and girls’ rugby league continues to thrive across our local region, while the Saints’ youth development programme has continued to grow, creating further opportunities for aspiring female players. Recent graduates of our Women’s Academy include Katie Mottershead, Erin McDonald, Liv Leach and Lily Sheron, all of whom are now involved with the Saints Women’s First Team.
Following the retirements of Jodie Cunningham, Emily Rudge and Zoe Harris, further opportunities will arise for the next generation of players in 2027. Hunte will lead the Saints Women as they look to build on our player pathway and continue developing young talent.
Former Joint Women’s Head Coaches Craig Richards and Derek Hardman step down from those roles, and St.Helens R.F.C. would like to thank them for their commitment and effort with our Women’s team. Richards was appointed earlier this year as Saints’ Head of Rugby (Academy & Pathways), with responsibility for leading youth and junior development across both the male and female programmes.
Speaking about becoming Saints Women’s Head Coach, Alan Hunte said: “I’m really excited. St.Helens is a strong brand and a great club with a fantastic history. I’ve been involved with the Club for a long time, and I’ve always loved coaching. I’ve always remained involved in the game, whether through the media or with the RFL.
“It’s exciting to be stepping back into club rugby development.
“Developing players has been a major part of my career, whether at club level with Salford, through junior rugby with the RFL or in the international game.
“I’m hoping to progress the team and the players. I do not doubt that every player wants to become the best version of themselves, both individually and as part of a team.”
Hunte placed importance on the Saints Women’s player pathway and creating opportunities for young talent.
“It’s a privilege to be part of a player’s journey and hopefully help them progress in some way.
“There’s always somebody waiting for the chance to take your place, and it’s their job to earn that opportunity.
“We know that established players eventually move on, and that creates opportunities for others. I want to create an environment that brings both competition and opportunity. That isn’t just for young players; it’s something that should exist every week. Everyone wants to be playing regularly, and we need an environment where players are pushed to improve and earn their place.
“Above all, I want it to be an enjoyable environment. Sport is too demanding not to enjoy it.”
Chairman Eamonn McManus added: “It is terrific to be able to have Alan return to the Club in a working capacity and coach our senior Women’s team. He has strong experience in developing players, truly understands the Saints ethos, and comes motivated to help our women’s players progress.”
Craig Richards commented: “It’s great news to welcome Alan to St.Helens once again. His experience working within rugby league’s pathways will be hugely beneficial as St.Helens continues to develop the best young players through our development pathways.
“Alan knows what it means to be a Saints player, and as the women’s game continues to grow and be more competitive, he will help establish what it means to play and be at this club.”
Saints fans can watch the full first interview with Alan Hunte on Saints TV for free.
Our supporters will also spot that Alan is wearing some brand-new items from our yet to be released, 2027 Core Trainingwear range, which will be revealed in full, very soon.
