The new Wales coach has addressed the media for the first time since agreeing to succeed Warren Gatland
Tandy says it is ‘a massive privilege and honour’ to lead Wales(Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency)
New Wales head coach Steve Tandy has revealed why he took the job, admitting it was one of the only roles that could have tempted him away from his position with Scotland.
The 45-year-old former Ospreys boss addressed the media for the first time in his new role on Thursday, having agreed last month to become Warren Gatland’s permanent successor in Welsh rugby’s top coaching job. In doing so, he left his job as Scotland’s defence coach, a role he has held since just after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Fielding questions alongside WRU chief executive Abi Tierney and director of rugby and elite performance Dave Reddin, Tandy explained why he felt he was the right man for the job at a time where Welsh rugby is in crisis, with the side he is taking charge of only recently ending their dismal 18-game losing run at Test level. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
Admitting it was a “massive privilege and honour” to lead his country, the Tonmawr-born coach said his experiences working with the Ospreys and Scotland, as well as with the NSW Waratahs in Australia, would “hold him in good stead” for the sizeable task ahead.
“It’s a feeling of absolute pride and an honour,” he said as he addressed the media in the changing rooms of the Principality Stadium.
“The biggest thing is they have seen me and through the process there was nothing but me in and around that, I could generally be myself in the way I see it.
“Me as a person, I love coaching so much and the journey I’ve been on from my time at the Ospreys and going to the Waratahs. That has given me an experience and the people I’ve come across has enabled me to be part of this opportunity to rebuild Welsh rugby with an exciting group of young players.
“Like Dave said there’s a path we are going to go on and a journey we are going to go on but through the experiences I’ve had over the other side of the world and through different environments will hold me in good stead to do that.”
On departing his role working under Gregor Townsend to take up the job with Wales, Tandy paid tribute to his former mentor and admitted that leaving Scotland “was really tough”.
“There are not many jobs that I would have left Scotland for,” he said. “Gregor has had a major influence on me. We are different people, I have a defence mindset and he had an attack mindset, so that shaped how we were going to defend.
“It opened up my mind and he was massive on getting out of your comfort zone and going to different places. For example, I went to Melbourne Storm and spent a month there, then you go to AFL. He was very much a curious person and always trying to think outside the box, building environments for boys to be themselves.
“The players were incredible to work with and then how Scotland made my family feel, with the support we got,” Tandy continued.
“It was tough [to leave] but that tells you about the excitement of this job. I am a passionate Welshman, I want Wales to be putting in performances that everyone can get behind.”
Asked if he was ready to be a figurehead and play a leading role in turning around Welsh rugby’s fortunes, Tandy said: “It does change, you have to lead. I will do that in my own way but you also have to grow people and connect them.
“That’s the exciting bit because from my journey I have seen that in action in lots of places.
“It is going to change but it’s knowing that I have got great support around me, and when we go into assistant coaches and the regions, the more we connect it then it will be about more than one person.”