Tandy right man to coach Wales – Henson

Former Wales centre Gavin Henson says Steve Tandy is the right man to lead Wales, but warned the new head coach will face tough times ahead.

Tandy will take charge of Wales for the first time in November when they face Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa in Cardiff.

Under caretaker coach Matt Sherratt, who is now part of Tandy’s backroom team, Wales ended their 18-match losing run with a win against Japan in July.

Henson, who played alongside Tandy at Ospreys, also admitted he did not think his former team-mate would become a coach.

“Steve Tandy has done unbelievable stuff since he finished his playing days,” said 43-year-old Henson, who won 33 caps for Wales and one for the British and Irish Lions.

“I would not have had Steve down as a coach, but that’s the way it is. It sounds like he is the right man for the job, and he is Welsh, which is good.

Tandy takes over at a time of off-field chaos in Welsh rugby.

Proposals to reduce the number of regions in Wales from four to two remain under consideration with a decision expected from the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) by the end of October.

The consultation period for the radical plan is now over with opponents of halving the number of four men’s professional sides – Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets – hoping the WRU will rethink its proposal, although performance director Dave Reddin insists it is still an option.

Henson hopes any Welsh professional sides could become part of an Anglo-Welsh or British and Irish League.

“It is such a tough one, it is obviously not working as it is,” said Henson, who is back playing regularly for boyhood club Pencoed in the game’s lower tiers, the WRU’s Admiral National League 2 West Central.

“There is talk of going to two regions because that’s all they can afford. Fair enough, but is that the answer?

“The big thing is trying to convince England to accept us into that league of theirs or if there was a way of making a British league with the Irish, Scots and English clubs.

Henson says he longs for a return to the Welsh club system that existed before the switch to regional rugby in 2003.

“I am very much a club man, I came through playing for Swansea,” said Henson.

“I grew up seeing all the clubs so the regions was always tough for me even though I played in that set-up.

“I would love to see clubs back properly. I like the look of that Super Rygbi Cymru (SRC), but let’s do it properly and go back to full clubs.

“There would need to be a lot more money from the WRU, but the big thing is trying to convince England to accept us into that league of theirs and have promotion and relegation.”

Henson believes the element of jeopardy would draw more people into investing into rugby.

“Promotion and relegation would allow more benefactors to come into these clubs and believe in the dream, which is what we had back in the day,” said Henson.

“There is a lot of people out there with new money, a lot of millionaires but they won’t get involved in rugby because there is no climb, a dream of taking over a club and trying to take them to the top.