Stephen Jones to join Wales coaching staff

Scarlets assistant coach Stephen Jones will join Wayne Pivac as part of the Wales coaching group after the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

41-year-old Jones joined Scarlets’ coaching team ahead of the 2015-16 season as Wayne Pivac rejigged his coaching staff.

With over 300 appearances for the Scarlets at outside half Jones is a fans favourite, making his playing debut back in 1996.

Wales centurion Jones made 104 appearances for his country during a 13-year international career and represented the British & Irish Lions a further six times.

After hanging up his boots in 2013, the former fly-half went straight into coaching at English Premiership side Wasps. In August 2015, Jones returned to Wales to be part of Pivac’s coaching team at the Scarlets and helped the region to lift the Guinness PRO12 title in 2017.

Commenting on the news, Jones said: “I’m hugely excited with the opportunity.

“It is a great honour to be asked to coach your country and I’m really looking forward to the challenge and very much looking forward to working with Jon, Neil and Paul for what I hope will be a very exciting period in Welsh rugby.

“I’m very grateful to the Scarlets for the opportunity I have had with them and for their continued support.

“Whilst excited by this role, my focus is fully on the Scarlets and the rest of our campaign.”

Pivac has also added Jonathan Humphreys to the coaching staff, with the former hooker set to leave Glasgow Warriors at the end of the season.

Humphreys was a forwards coach at the Ospreys for seven years but has plied his trade in Scotland recently, taking the same role with the national team before joining the Warriors as assistant coach.

He said: “It’s a huge honour to return to Wales during what is a really exciting time for Welsh rugby. The opportunity to come back and coach my country with Wayne and Stephen is one that I couldn’t turn down.

“I’m indebted to Scottish Rugby. I’d like to thank Mark Dodson, Scott Johnson and Vern Cotter for giving me the opportunity to be involved in their vision six years ago. I will always take great pride in my time here and the growth and success that the whole of Scottish Rugby have experienced in that time.”