By Joe Mansfield.
STEVE Tandy who was born in Tonmawr, near Neath, is Scotland’s assistant coach and oversees the defensive elements of the team managed my Gregor Townsend.
The lesser-known Gavin Vaughan is the Head of Performance Analysis in the Scotland camp, but he started his career with the Welsh Rugby Union. Vaughan started as an analyst in the WRU Bureau (Premiership) and then with the Wales Women Under 20’s.
Last weekend the pair helped to mastermind the first Scottish victory at Twickenham for 38 years and will try to defeat their home nation on Saturday.
Yes we were quick to praise Steve Tandy. But two @TonmawrRFC boys deserve some praise. Well done @gavinvaughan1 also. pic.twitter.com/bg9FUTVsbk
— Ystradgynlais RFC ? ??????? (@ystradbluesrfc) February 7, 2021
The 41-year-old Tandy is well-known within Welsh rugby for both his playing and coaching days at the Ospreys. The former flanker appeared more than 100 times for the Welsh Region and went on to coach them for 6 years.
Those are impressive credentials, but it is for his exploits elsewhere that Tandy is earning a strong reputation within the Rugby fraternity.
At the beginning of 2018, following a poor run of form, the Ospreys and Tandy parted ways. The coach decided to take a route away from the beaten track to rejuvenate his career and switched hemispheres, taking up the role of defence coach at the New South Wales Waratah’s in Australia.
While at the ‘Tahs he turned an offensively brilliant team into the best defensive structure in Australia. Townsend’s Scottish regime took note of his work and lured him back to UK shores.
Since his tenure controlling the Thistle’s defence began in December of 2019, Tandy has received plaudits from all-parts. The victory over England was testament to his work as Scotland enforced 13 turnovers, made 89% of their tackles and dominated England with 65% of the possession.
Friends will become foes this weekend as former Wales Under 21 teammates Tandy and Gethin Jenkins square off in a defensive duel.
Jenkins, the Wales defence coach, has acknowledged the work of his adversary in the lead up to this weekend’s clash saying he has “done a great job with their defence”.
The Wales coach also gave recognition to the performance Scotland put in against England, saying it was “no mean feat” to restrict Eddie Jones’s men to six points at Twickenham.
A number of the Welsh players played for the Ospreys under Tandy, including Justin Tipuric. It would be easy for the flanker to dismiss any talk of the opposition in the week leading up to a Test match and to focus on his own team, but Tipuric was forthcoming in heaping praise onto his former coach.
“Steve has obviously done a brilliant job with Scotland, you can see that just from looking at all of the games he’s been involved in since he’s been there” Tipuric said.
“It’s going to be a tough game this weekend just with their defence and the way he’s got them into system. The way he’s got them defending for their lives for that ball is pretty special really.
“It’s going to be the same for us with Gethin with our defence so it’s going to be a feisty one and I think whoever is more accurate in attack is probably going to win the game.” He added.
