Tonmawr's Tandy Destined To Become Wales Head Coach

"It is nan occupation he was destined to do."

That was nan verdict from Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) main executive Abi Tierney aft installing Steve Tandy arsenic nan men's caput coach.

Tandy has returned to Wales aft a seven-year absence pursuing coaching stints successful Australia and Scotland.

He has completed nan modulation from a no-nonsense flanker, who ne'er rather managed to triumph a Wales cap, to starring his state disconnected nan field.

From his beloved Tonmawr to nan apical occupation successful Welsh rugby. This is nan Steve Tandy story.

Tandy hails from nan mini colony of Tonmawr, which is astir 4 miles eastbound of Neath.

"What an accomplishment for a feline from Tonmawr, everyone successful nan area is truthful proud of Steve," Tonmawr nine president Michael Thomas told Radio Cymru.

"It is simply a mini colony and nan rugby nine is very important to colony life.

"It is simply a family nine and nan Tandy family has made a immense publication to this club.

"His grandfather Jimmy played for nan club, and for Neath.

"His dad, Peter, played and coached here. Steve himself played for this nine and past his relative Kevin, who besides coached.

"And now Steve's nephew, Kevin's boy Elliott, is nan nine captain."

Tandy made nan travel down nan roadworthy to nan Gnoll successful nan precocious 1990s wherever he was greeted by Lyn Jones, who was Neath's caput coach betwixt 1994 and 2003 earlier starring Ospreys until 2008.

"Steve started astatine Neath successful 1998, and you could spot he loved rugby," said Jones.

"He wanted to cognize everything. He's a superior personification and enjoys nan minutiae of nan sport.

"He came to each azygous training session, opinionated adjacent to Brett Sinkinson [former Neath and Wales flanker] waiting for his chance.

"One time that chance yet came."

Tandy made 74 appearances for Neath earlier becoming a personnel of nan Ospreys squad erstwhile nan region was formed successful 2003, wherever he played 102 games.

A period aft playing his last master crippled successful March 2010, nan back-rower was appointed caput coach of Bridgend, having started his coaching profession pinch Ospreys' Under-16s and spending clip helping guideline Tonmawr.

He secured promotion to nan Welsh Premiership successful his first play earlier he was thrust into nan master spotlight successful February 2012.

Aged conscionable 32, Tandy was appointed arsenic caput coach by Andrew Hore to switch Sean Holley, pinch head of rugby Scott Johnson besides leaving Ospreys connected nan aforesaid day.

It was a baptism of occurrence pinch Tandy having to lead group he had played pinch and negociate high-profile figures.

Tandy took things successful his stride by guiding his star-studded broadside to nan Pro12 title pinch Ospreys defeating reigning European champions Leinster successful nan Dublin final.

Former Wales 2nd statement Ian Gough straddled Tandy's 2 rugby careers.

"I played pinch and against Steve and was coached by him erstwhile he started his coaching profession and besides coached pinch him," Gough told BBC Radio Wales.

"He is simply a proud feline and he mightiness moreover negociate a grin aft this news, though he is not known to grin excessively often.

"He is simply a good, honorable bloke. He says it arsenic it is, he is not personification who will opportunity thing to your look and past thing other down your back. He will ever beforehand up. I americium conscionable truthful proud of him."

Ospreys reached nan convention semi-finals connected 2 much occasions during Tandy's tenure but ne'er cracked Europe.

Tandy near successful January 2018 pinch managing head Andrew Millward "saying nan determination that has been taken lightly" but "results had not been bully capable and alteration was necessary".

Tandy was near wondering what to do adjacent and made his measurement to Australia wherever he linked up arsenic defence coach pinch Super Rugby broadside Waratahs.

He was reunited pinch erstwhile Ospreys leader Hore who was by past main executive of nan Sydney-based side.

WRU head of rugby and elite capacity Dave Reddin says Tandy's readiness to effort different environments proved a facet successful his appointment.

"His coaching travel shows personification that has been unafraid to push himself into immoderate uncomfortable experiences and situation nan measurement he was operating arsenic a coach and create arsenic a result," said Reddin.

"Particularly moving from nan Ospreys to nan Waratahs was a travel that caused him to re-imagine really he coached and really he thought astir it.

"He's continued to do that passim his profession and that's an astonishing value for, our younger players particularly, to beryllium capable to spot successful nan coach and there's still maturation successful everybody."

Tandy was snapped up by Scotland pursuing nan 2019 World Cup and has been location since, pinch a stint besides pinch Warren Gatland's British and Irish Lions broadside successful South Africa successful 2021.

Wales flanker Jac Morgan says nan Scottish players successful nan British and Irish Lions squad were gutted to spot Tandy time off their set-up and those sentiments were echoed by caput coach Gregor Townsend.

"We're sorry to spot Steve spell because he's had a affirmative power connected Scottish rugby," said Townsend.

"Firstly, pinch nan players he's worked pinch and developed, and secondly nan activity he's done pinch nan team, turning them into 1 of nan champion protect sides successful nan world. As coaches we person loved moving and learning from him.

"He has helped maine massively successful my domiciled and been personification I've leaned connected for advice.

"It'll beryllium sad not having him pinch america anymore but I understand it's a monolithic honour for him to go caput coach of his location country."

Scotland's nonaccomplishment is Wales gain, though nan Tandy family mightiness request to beryllium reminded of their allegiances erstwhile more.

"For nan past six years if you locomotion astir Neath, I've seen Steve's dad, Peter wearing a Scotland Rugby Union jacket," said Lyn Jones.

"So I'm looking guardant to seeing him wearing a caller reddish overgarment now!"

Tandy has not been a caput coach astatine world level but his aged Neath and Ospreys mentor Jones does not judge nan caller Wales leader will beryllium hampered by that.

"Steve has nan experience," said Jones.

"He knows what needs to beryllium done, and would person learnt those lessons from being caput coach astatine Bridgend and Ospreys.

"He will person acquisition arsenic good from being portion of nan Lions' coaching group up to South Africa successful 2021."

Gough praised Tandy's bravery successful taking connected nan job.

"It is simply a gutsy determination by him and his family," said Gough.

"He has travel into nan hot-seat astatine arguably nan toughest position successful world rugby astatine nan moment.

"He knows nan task astatine manus and it is simply a immense challenge. He is simply a Tonmawr boy and his family unrecorded successful nan area, truthful he will unrecorded it 24/7."