The man handed the task of restoring pride to the famous red jersey
Steve Tandy has just taken on one of the toughest jobs in world rugby. After a successful stint as Scotland’s defence coach, he’s headed back to his native Wales to become head coach of a national side that’s won just one match in the last 20.
So, as Wales continue their Autumn Internationals campaign looking to secure a favourable spot in the Rugby World Cup 2027 draw, here’s 10 things you need to know about the Ospreys flanker turned in-demand coach.
10 things you should know about Steve Tandy
1. Steve Tandy was born on 16 January, 1980, in Tonmawr, Wales.
He made an early appearance at the old Welsh National Stadium in 1986 when his father, Peter, was coach at Tonmawr RFC. The six-year-old Steve was mascot when the team played in the final of the Welsh Brewers Cup. Tonmawr beat Cardiff Internationals Athletic Club 9-6 on the day.
2. He was a pupil at Cefn Saeson Comprehensive School in Neath, and left Neath College in 1998 with a BTEC National Diploma in sport, and an HND in sports coaching. Tandy also played in the college rugby team between 1996 and 1998, winning the Welsh Schools Cup, British Colleges Cup and British Colleges Sevens competition along the way.
3. A flanker by trade, Tandy played 40 times for Neath from 1998-2003, starting his apprentice contract on the same day as Welsh legend Shane Williams. He then went on to make 102 appearances for the Ospreys from 2003-2010, but was never capped by the national side. “The only thing I ever wanted to do was play for Wales,” he said. “I would have loved to, but that wasn’t meant to be.”
4. Tandy did some coaching at boyhood club Tonmawr RFC before he’d even hung up his boots. He then led Welsh Premiership side Bridgend Ravens for two years from 2010-12.
5. He subsequently took the top job at the Ospreys aged just 32, winning the Pro 12 title in his first season in the role. They beat Leinster 31-30 in the final to claim the trophy, in what would be Shane Williams’ final game for the region. The region haven’t won a major title since.
Steve Tandy had a long stint with the Ospreys as a player (David Rogers/Getty Images)
6. Tandy left the Ospreys in 2018, after a 24-7 Champions Cup defeat to Clermont Auvergne, but he wasn’t out of work for long. In November that year he headed to Super Rugby to take charge of the NSW Waratahs’ defence under head coach Darryl Gibson.
Tandy shored up the team’s defence with his famed ‘Blue Wall’, the name inspired by hit fantasy TV show Game of Thrones.
7. Tandy joined Gregor Townsend’s Scotland staff in December 2019. During Tandy’s six-year tenure as defence coach, only Ireland conceded fewer points in the Six Nations.
8. Tandy’s success with Scotland led to Warren Gatland appointing him as defence coach for the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa.
9. Tandy could have coached for Wales several years earlier. He was offered the opportunity to join Wales’ coaching staff on their 2017 summer tour for games against Tonga and Samoa, with Gatland, Neil Jenkins and Rob Howley away on British & Irish Lions duty. He turned it down because of family commitments.
10. Tandy is Wales’ first Welsh-born head coach since Gareth Jenkins left the role following the disastrous 2007 World Cup.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: rugbyworld.com
