Rugby-McBryde to lead Wales on Pacific Islands tour

Dec 7 ( Reuters) - Robin McBryde will be in charge of Wales for next year's tour of the Pacific Islands, the Welsh Rugby Union said on Wednesday.

McBryde replaces interim head coach Rob Howley, who has joined the British and Irish Lions coaching team under Warren Gatland for the 2017 tour of New Zealand.

McBryde will lead Wales for the third time, having been in charge for the tour of the United States and Canada in 2009 and a two-test campaign against Japan in 2013, with those trips coinciding with Lions appointments for Gatland and Howley.

Welsh Rugby chief Martyn Phillips said in a statement on the union's website (www.wru.wales) that the governing body was in advanced talks with a number of other coaches and hoped to confirm the full management team for the tour next week.

The tour begins in June, with fixtures against Tonga and Samoa to be confirmed. (Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru; editing by Ken Ferris)