‘Rugby is in his blood’ – Tandy prepares for Wales coaching debut

Autumn Nations Series: Wales v Argentina

Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff Date: Sunday, 9 November Kick-off: 15:10 GMT

After starting his rugby journey in his beloved Tonmawr, new Wales head coach Steve Tandy will take charge of his country for the first time against Argentina this weekend.

As he prepares for probably the proudest moment of his career at the Principality Stadium, Tandy will not be alone.

On Sunday morning, seven coaches and 300 people will leave Tonmawr RFC dressed in the rugby club’s green colours as they support their favourite son.

Tonmawr is a small village in the Pelenna Valley, four miles outside of Neath, with the rugby club at its heart.

Almost 40 years ago, there was a similar exodus to Cardiff from the village when Tonmawr went to the old National Stadium in 1986 to win the Welsh Brewers Cup with a hard-fought 9-6 victory over Cardiff Internationals Athletic Club (CIACS).

On that special day in the club’s history, a certain six-year-old Tandy was mascot and his father Peter was coach.

“It was Tonmawr’s invincible season,” recalled Tandy. “It was a massive day out for the whole village and it’s amazing to still remember it.

“To see the trophy where it is in the rugby club is amazing, so I have great memories.”

Now Tandy is making his own history.

“There is a massive buzz around the club and the village,” said Tonmawr president Shaun Hutchings.

“Steve is a genuine good guy, very humble with zero ego.

“He has never forgotten his roots and has always engaged with the club. He was only up here last week with our under-16s. Rugby is in his blood.”

Hutchings has known Tandy since they were 12, with the pair playing junior and youth rugby together.

“Steve was always looking to go that extra mile and more committed than the rest of us,” said Hutchings.

“We always knew growing up Steve had aspirations and was going somewhere in rugby.

“Did I know then he was going to be Wales coach? No, probably not.

Those family links are evident. Steve played for the club, as did his grandfather Jimmy, father Peter and brother Kevin, whose son – Steve’s nephew – Elliot currently captains the first team.

His father still helps looks after the pitch at Tonmawr and his best friend Ross coaches the under-16s.

“As a family we are so proud of him,” Elliot Tandy told Newyddion.

“Steve is a real driven and motivated person. He has made some huge sacrifices to get where he is today and get such a highly respected job.

“He is still so down to earth and comes up the club and has a good laugh with the boys. He loves being back at his local club with the people he knows.

“He has been a massive role model for me. He comes from this small village which he has helped put on the map.

“It shows to people here what you can achieve if you are willing to work hard.”

Former player Jamie Costain wells up with pride when talking about a man he has watched grow up.

“We are a small village and I would say practically everybody would have links to him and the family,” said Costain.

“It has been an amazing journey. Tonmawr is ingrained in Steven and the Tandy family after he started with the juniors, went through to youth and the senior side which he also coached.”

Tonmawr will always ensure Tandy remains grounded.

“The beauty of our game is that community feel,” said Elliot Tandy.

Tandy, who started at Neath on the same day as former Wales and Lions wing Shane Williams, played more than 175 games for the Welsh All Blacks and Ospreys.

He started his coaching career with Ospreys Under-16s and spent time helping guide Tonmawr, before being appointed head coach of Bridgend.

Tandy was then thrust into the professional spotlight in February 2012 as Ospreys head coach, aged only 32. He took things in his stride by guiding his star-studded side to the Pro12 title that season.

Ospreys reached the league semi-finals on two more occasions during Tandy’s tenure but never cracked Europe, and he was let go in January 2018.

He made his way to Australia where he linked up as defence coach with Super Rugby side Waratahs, before being snapped up by Scotland following the 2019 World Cup.

Tandy returned to Wales after a seven-year absence when he was appointed national head coach by new Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) director of rugby and elite performance Dave Reddin.

“Steve is an exceptional individual, he’s got brilliant relationship skills,” said Reddin.

“He is one of the best people connectors I’ve met and that’s going to give players safety in the way they’re able to go and express themselves and play.”

Tandy has become the first Welshman to have the job on a permanent basis since Gareth Jenkins in 2007.

New Zealanders Graham Henry, Steve Hansen, Warren Gatland and Wayne Pivac have held the coveted role during the 21st century.

Wales have now turned to a homegrown coach by appointing Tandy to the top job in a Welsh rugby system which seems in perpetual crisis.

Just before Tandy’s first squad met up, the WRU announced plans to cut one of the four Welsh men’s professional teams, a move that will have created more uncertainty among the players.

Tandy has a no-nonsense element in his armoury.

“Steve is a man with thick skin and a tough attitude,” said Wales and Lions wing legend Shane Williams.

“He is a no-nonsense guy and exactly what Wales need. He will make the squad mentally tough, hard to beat.

“He needs to instil it in the squad they are good players, they need to forget about the past 24 months.

“It’s not an overnight fix and he’s realistic in what he wants to achieve. I have complete faith in him.”

Tandy’s style is also hands-on and he has created a relatable head coach figure.

Gloucester centre Max Llewellyn has talked about how Tandy has phoned players before squads have been announced to keep in touch.

Prop Archie Griffin says Tandy is “not a head teacher type”, who is trying to get more involved with the players and not have division.

Wales assistant coach Danny Wilson, who worked with Tandy in Scotland, described him as a “caring and relationship coach”, who had already “put his stamp on the environment”.

Tandy has also changed the squad’s working week.

“I’ve been lucky to have experiences in different environments so I was looking at things and seeking feedback on how players felt,” said Tandy.

“It’s not a reflection of the past, it’s more about where we want to go to just change things up and make it feel different.”

Tandy has also moved Wales’ changing room at the Principality Stadium, a home venue where Wales have not won in nine matches and more than two years.

“It isn’t about streaks, it’s more about the scope to redevelop and change that landscape and how we see that working,” said Tandy.

So will those changes work?

The brutal truth is Tandy has taken over a side languishing 12th in the world rankings which had suffered a record 18-Test losing streak before a victory against Japan in Kobe in July.

Maybe the final word about whether Tandy’s tenure can be successful deserves to come from Tonmawr.

“Even though he has been out of the country for a few years, he knows Welsh rugby inside out and from the bottom up,” said Tonmawr vice-president Jamie Costain.

“Knowing Steven, he will put a big effort into putting Welsh rugby back where it belongs.”