Wales end five-month search by naming a ‘fits the bill’ successor to Warren Gatland
Steve Tandy has been appointed as the new Wales head coach.
Wales have ended their five-month search for a new head coach, confirming Scotland assistant Steve Tandy in the role through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
It was last February, following the Six Nations loss away to Italy, when Warren Gatland resigned. The defeat in Rome was a record 14th successive loss for the Welsh and they appointed Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt on an interim basis for the remainder of the championship.
Sherratt remained in charge for the recent two-Test series in Japan, a trip where victory in the second match ended the record run of losses that had extended to 18.
At the same time, Tandy was working with Scotland as defence coach on their summer tour. That trip ended with last Friday’s win over Samoa in Auckland and the assistant has now been unveiled as Gatland’s head coach successor in Wales.
“Boasts a varied and impressive coaching career…”
A WRU statement read: “Steve Tandy will lead Wales into the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia and begins his tenure as his country’s new head coach on September 1. Tandy is a former British & Irish Lions coach (2021) and was Ospreys head coach for a six-year period before joining Australian Super Rugby side NSW Waratahs.
“He has just finished a southern hemisphere tour against New Zealand Maori, Fiji and Samoa as an integral part of Scottish Rugby’s coaching team. The 45-year-old, who was born in Tonmawr, boasts a varied and impressive coaching career which has led the Welsh Rugby Union to view him as the man to help bring in a new era for the game in Wales.
“The one-time Bridgend and Neath flanker made over 100 appearances for the Ospreys before converting to coaching full-time and graduated to head coach of the regional club between 2012 and 2018.”
WRU CEO Abi Tierney said: “We are delighted to appoint Steve as the new Wales head coach. 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 added: “Becoming head coach of my home country is a massive honour and a privilege. 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, hardworking players we have. The autumn fixtures represent a huge opportunity and gives us a chance to test ourselves against some of the best teams in world rugby.”
Dave Reddin, the WRU director of rugby and elite performance, said: “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.
“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.”
