St Helens announce Paul Wellens as new head coach to succeed Kristian Woolf

St Helens have announced Paul Wellens as their new head coach and Laurent Frayssinous as his assistant.

Wellens and Frayssinous will replace Australian Kristian Woolf, who took charge of his last match in Saints’ recent Grand Final win against Leeds.

Saints said in a statement: “We’re delighted to confirm that Paul Wellens will succeed Kristian Woolf as the club’s new head coach whilst France national team boss Laurent Frayssinous will join him as an assistant ahead of the 2023 season.”

Woolf bowed out on a high after guiding Saints to three straight Grand Final wins and will become assistant to Wayne Bennett at new NRL franchise Dolphins in 2023.

Saints became the first club in Super League history to win four Grand Finals in a row after beating Leeds 24-12 at Old Trafford.

Wellens, 42, who spent his entire 17-year playing career at Saints, has been assistant head coach at the club for the past four seasons. He won five Grand Finals and five Challenge Cups as a Saints player.

Frayssinous, 45, a former player and coach with Catalans Dragons, became the youngest Super League coach at the time when he was appointed head coach of the club in 2012. He has been head coach of France since 2021.