WRU must find a way to bring back sacked Wales coach
Over the next few weeks the Welsh Rugby Union will be announcing a raft of new appointments which they view as integral to their quest of getting the game in Wales back on track.
Former FA chief Dave Reddin will be appointed director of rugby, while Steve Tandy is the front runner to succeed Warren Gatland as head coach - although that deal has not been finalised yet - but one man who should be targeted for a return is Stephen Jones.
In Wales we have this awful habit of throwing coaches into the dustbin after one or two rocky spells, but failure is a part of the journey to success; just look at Steve Hansen's time with Wales.
To many Welsh fans, Jones is tainted by the fact he was aligned with former Wales head coach Wayne Pivac. After a mixed spell with Wales between 2020 to 2022, Pivac and most of his backroom team were relieved of their duties.
But prior to Wales' struggles under Pivac Jones was hailed as the second coming by many within the Welsh game.
The former Wales playmaker is an innovative attack coach and while Pivac got much of the credit, Jones was the mastermind behind the Scarlets' sensational surge to the old PRO12 title in 2017 and their march to a Champions Cup semi-final the previous season.
Prior to that Jones was very highly-thought of by Wasps where he was an attack coach working under Dai Young. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
Following Wales' departure, Jones was deemed surplus to requirement by Warren Gatland but by all accounts he has been doing an excellent job as Tana Umaga's right-hand man with Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby.
(Image: Ben Evans/Huw Evans Agency)
Pivac's tenure is viewed negatively but Wales did play some excellent attacking rugby at times, especially during the 2021 Six Nations title-winning season and the summer tour of South Africa in 2022 where they won a first ever Test match in the Rainbow Nation against the Springboks.
Also, during Pivac's final game in charge against Australia, Wales played some breathtaking attacking rugby to lead 34-13 before self-imploding late on and handing the game to the Wallabies on a plate.
Wales' struggles under Pivac weren't necessarily down to the attack because they failed to dominate the breakdown while they were unable to compete as well physically as they did during the first Gatland era.
Jones deserves another shot at Welsh rugby whether that is as an attack coach with the senior side, with one of Wales' professional clubs or even working within the pathway. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here.
Welsh rugby has lost a huge amount of coaching IP and as part of the One Wales strategy the WRU should be targeting the likes of Jones, former Cardiff boss Young and Leinster forwards coach Robin McBryde, among others, for a return to Wales.
It would also be a crying shame if Rob Howley were not retained by the WRU because the former Wales scrum-half is doing a fantastic job with the pathway.
(Image: © Huw Evans Picture Agency)
One only need look at the situation in England following their group stage exit at their own Rugby World Cup in 2015. The Rugby Football Union got rid of almost the entire coaching team of Stuart Lancaster, Andy Farrell, Mike Catt and Graham Rowntree.
It would have been easy for other governing bodies or club's to have viewed the likes of Lancaster or Farrell as failures, putting an end to their coaching careers. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free
But they have learnt the lessons from the ill-fated 2015 World Cup campaign and have gone on to establish themselves as some of the best coaches in the world.
Farrell has led Ireland to unprecedented success and is now head coach of the British & Irish Lions while Lancaster did a good job at Leinster and is highly-respected. Both Catt and Rowntree have also gone on to experience success elsewhere.
The WRU rugby needs to learn from the RFU's mistakes and work hard to persuade some of the more experienced Welsh coaches back to Wales.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Sydney player Riak Andrew faces AFL suspension over homophobic slur
Sydney defender Riak Andrew is facing a lengthy suspension after being cited for using a homophobic slur while representing the AFL club's reserves team. First-year player Andrew, the younger brother of Gold Coast star Mac Andrew, used the slur during the Swans' VFL clash with North Melbourne on Saturday. The AFL Integrity Unit is investigating the matter. In a statement, Sydney said a remorseful Andrew understands the language he used is unacceptable and takes full responsibility for his actions. Swans chief executive Tom Harley said the club are extremely disappointed in the 20-year-old's actions. 'This behaviour does not reflect the values of our club, and we take this matter very seriously,' Harley said. 'While it is disappointing, we recognise that Riak is at the beginning of his career and we will use this as an opportunity to provide support and education, to ensure Riak understands the impact of his words.' Andrew's slur comes as Sydney prepare to hold their annual celebration of LGBTIQA+ communities, when they host Essendon at the SCG on 2 August. 'In a fortnight we will be playing in the Pride Game, a match that is incredibly important to our club,' Harley said. 'We are committed to creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment.' Andrew was taken with pick No 55 in last year's draft and is yet to make his AFL debut. Earlier this month, West Coast midfielder Jack Graham was found guilty of conduct unbecoming and suspended for four matches for using a homophobic slur during his side's loss to GWS Giants. Another three AFL players were suspended for using homophobic slurs last season. Gold Coast defender Wil Powell (five matches) and Port Adelaide forward Jeremy Finlayson (three) served bans over incidents in AFL matches. St Kilda's Lance Collard served a six-match penalty for 'unprompted and highly offensive' slurs towards two Williamstown players in a VFL game.
South Wales Argus
an hour ago
- South Wales Argus
Grace Harris continues fine form with two more winners
Harris' Flat horses have shone this year and Oasis Sunrise and Nakaaha took her tally in that code to 11, which is some going when her previous best of 15 came in the whole of 2024. In the hands of the experienced John Egan, Oasis Sunrise was keen early in a mile handicap at Bath, but made headway and kept on well to win by a length and three-quarters. At odds of 7-2, she was likely expected to be on the scene, but Nakaaha would have been a much bigger surprise given she returned at 33-1 when emerging on top at Newbury on Friday under Egan's son David. Formerly trained in Newmarket for a member of the all-powerful Maktoum family, Nakaaha is a relatively new arrival to Harris' yard in Shirenewton near Chepstow and was excused her first outing for the stable at Ffos Las when the starting stalls were not in use and there was a flag start. The trainer was particularly complimentary about her after Newbury, so perhaps the daughter of Bated Breath is one to follow. Those victories mean Harris, who has had five winners in July on the Flat and over jumps, is on course for her winningmost month, while her father Ron, who is based in the area as well, also got in on the act at Bath courtesy of Moe's Legacy. He has not been as prolific as his daughter and the four-year-old, successful in a 5½f handicap, was just his second winner in the last 12 months. A family feel was to the fore in the feature at Chepstow on Thursday, which was landed by Em Four, who is trained by former top jump jockey Jamie Osborne. His association with Em Four does not, however, end there as he owns and bred the gelding, while his daughter Saffie was on board. The course's 1m2f handicap, meanwhile, resulted in the sole Welsh success as it went to Spirit Of The Bay, who hails from the Bridgend yard of John and Rhys Flint, although local trainer Tom Faulkner came close with Sultan Of Oj, not beaten far when third in the 5f apprentice handicap. A dry and sunny forecast would be welcomed by Chepstow on Friday, when it stages its Rum & Reggae Caribbean Racenight. The first of seven races is due off at 5.15pm and the evening also features a DJ set from Levi Roots, probably best known for pitching his Reggae Reggae Sauce on BBC show Dragon's Den in 2007. He will host a Caribbean cooking demonstration before racing and those in attendance will also be able to get into the spirit of the night with an authentic steel drums set, a dedicated rum bar with tropical cocktails, and island-style street food, and other themed drinks.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Gerwyn Price involved in heated exchange with Daryl Gurney at World Matchplay
Gerwyn Price was involved in a heated exchange with opponent Daryl Gurney after the Welshman sealed a 10-7 win in their World Matchplay first round clash in Blackpool. The pair shared a robust handshake after Price closed out the win on double 12 before Gurney appeared to take issue with his rival's celebrations on stage. Gurney had fallen 6-2 behind but gave himself hope by winning the ninth leg and celebrated by mimicking Price's trademark fist-pumping. The Northern Irishman moved within one dart of levelling the match at 8-8 before Price, the 2022 finalist, held his nerve to pull away and seal victory. Michael van Gerwen was far from his best as he completed a gruelling 10-6 win over his veteran Dutch rival Raymond van Barneveld. Van Gerwen, a three-time winner, capitalised on a series of missed chances by his opponent and conceded he took little satisfaction from his performance. 'I made it so difficult for myself and when you make it difficult it's a hard game,' Van Gerwen told Sky Sports. 'From the position I'm coming from, I didn't play a lot of tournaments, and that makes it hard. We all know I'm a winner, I hate losing, and I think it's the start of something nice.' In the opening match of the third day of the tournament, sixth seed Chris Dobey pulled away to complete a 10-5 win over Germany's Ricardo Pietreczko.
