Wales name Steve Tandy as Warren Gatland's successor

Telegraph

4 days ago

Steve Tandy will lead Wales into the 2027 World Cup after being appointed as the nation's new head coach.
Tandy leaves the Scotland set-up, in which he has overseen defence since 2019, to take up the position.
The 45-year-old's last assignment under Gregor Townsend was a summer tour on which Scotland beat New Zealand Maori and Samoa either side of a loss to Fiji.
He will now be the full-time successor to Warren Gatland, who left the job during this year's Six Nations. Matt Sherratt took over for the end of that tournament and took Wales to Japan, where they drew the series 1-1 and ended a desperate run of 18 consecutive Test losses.
'We are delighted to appoint Steve as the new Wales head coach,' said Abi Tierney, the chief executive of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).
'After a thorough and detailed appointment process. Steve emerged as the standout candidate, and we know we have secured the very best coach for the job.
'This is a keystone appointment for us and an integral part of our five-year strategy as we look to achieve sustainable success for our senior men's side.
'Steve fits the bill in terms of the affinity he will be able to create with a young group of players with huge potential, but also the galvanising effect we know he can have on the whole rugby ecosystem as a proud Welshman .
'Our task now is to ensure Steve has the support and resources he needs to succeed in this role.'
Tandy himself will officially start work on September 1 and faces a first campaign comprising autumn fixtures against Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.
'Becoming head coach of my home country is a massive honour and a privilege,' he said.
'I am looking forward to playing a role in the rebuilding phase of Welsh rugby and taking the national team back to competing with the best countries in the world.
'I am excited about the potential of Welsh rugby and the group of young, hard-working players we have. The autumn fixtures represent a huge opportunity and give us a chance to test ourselves against some of the best teams in world rugby.'
Born in Tonmawr, Tandy was previously head coach of the Ospreys, a team he represented as a player.
He was seconded to the British and Irish Lions as a coach in 2021 and also had a stint with the Waratahs in Australia.
Tandy: Wales job too good an opportunity to turn down
Dave Reddin, the WRU director of rugby, has been a major player in the recruitment process and suggested that diverse experience was a factor in Tandy landing the role.
'Steve's coaching journey and the approach he has taken to his own learning and development since leaving the Ospreys really impressed us during the interview process,' Reddin explained.
'He embodies the collaborative and systematic approach to building success that I want to instil across our high-performance system.
'Steve is an excellent coach with the motivation and curiosity to continue to learn and develop very much a part of his DNA; these are hugely important characteristics for everyone in our system.
'He brings a wealth of experience, a unique understanding of Wales and the young talent we have at our disposal and a huge amount of passion and desire to excel in the role.
'Steve is a vital part of the future strategy for success in Welsh rugby and I will ensure he has the space, time and support to realise the potential of the exciting group of players he will have at his disposal.'
Tandy stressed that he had 'loved' his time with Scotland and feels proud of the progress the side has achieved over the past five years, which has made this 'a really tough decision to leave'. However, an opportunity with Wales proved 'unable to turn down'.
Townsend relayed the popularity and respect that Tandy has earned ahead of departing for this 'deserved' honour. 'We're sorry to see Steve go because he's had a really positive influence on Scottish rugby,' said the Scotland head coach.
'Firstly, with the players that he's worked with and developed, and secondly the work he's done with the team, turning them into one of the best defensive sides in the world. As coaches we have loved working and learning from him.
'He has helped me massively in my role and he's been someone I've leaned on for advice. We've worked together on various ways of improving the environment and the team over the years.
'It'll be sad not having him with us anymore but it's also a massive honour for him to become the head coach of his home country.
'It's very deserved as he's an excellent coach with varied experiences including international rugby for the last five years and we wish him all the best.'