2 days ago
6
Harlequins’ preparations for the new PREM Rugby season have been thrown into disarray after head coach Danny Wilson departed to join Steve Tandy’s Wales set-up.
Wilson was seconded to Wales for their summer tour of Japan, but he has now left the London club permanently to return to international rugby.
It leaves Harlequins without a head honcho two weeks out from the start of the new domestic campaign proper.
Harlequins have failed to qualify for the end-of-season play-offs for the past two seasons and their hopes of bouncing back won’t be helped by the fact they are now on the lookout for a new boss.
Former No 10 Nick Evans and the rest of the club’s incumbent coaches will step up to lead in the short-term with Wilson’s last game in charge set to be the PREM Rugby Cup clash with Newcastle Red Bulls on Friday.
‘The club has already begun a thorough review process to determine next steps and further updates on this will follow imminently,’ Harlequins said.
Danny Wilson has left his role as Harlequins head coach to join Wales as an assistant
Wilson is the first appointment made by new Wales head coach Steve Tandy (centre)
Michael Cheika, currently on the market after leaving Leicester Tigers at the end of last season, would be an obvious candidate for Harlequins to look at and would suit the club’s style of play.
Wilson, meanwhile, will become an assistant coach with Wales in charge of the line-out and contact area. He has previous Test experience with Scotland and will work under new Wales head coach Tandy.
‘This has been a really tough decision for me to make as I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Quins,’ Wilson said.
‘But the chance to join Wales and return to international rugby was simply too good an opportunity to turn down. Having the opportunity to experience international rugby again for the interim period with Wales this summer in Japan was a huge honour.
'I’m delighted to be able to return on a permanent basis and to work again with Steve and this exciting group of young players.’
Wales ended a horror run of 18 straight Test losses in Japan, but Tandy and Wilson face a significant rebuilding job at a time where the Welsh Rugby Union is proposing cutting the number of the country’s professional teams from four to two.
‘There have been some incredible moments while I have been at Quins and as always, some that have been more challenging,’ said Wilson.
‘I am also hugely proud of the work we’ve undertaken in the last two seasons to blood the next generation of Quins players and I know this will stand the blub in good stead for the 2025/26 season and beyond.’
Tandy is launching a new era in Welsh rugby having previously worked with the Lions in 2021
Tandy officially started his role as Wales boss on September 1. Wilson is his first appointment ahead of a November series which contains matches against Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.
There remains a chance Harlequins could yet lose another coaching member to Wales – either temporarily or permanently – in the shape of scrum guru Adam Jones.
Former Lions prop Jones has worked with Wales for their last two campaigns on loan from Quins.
Tandy said: ‘I’m delighted to welcome Danny to the team on a permanent basis. I’ve worked with him before when we were both with Scotland and also during his time at Glasgow Warriors. He is an outstanding coach.
‘This is a really exciting time and I’m grateful to Danny for accepting the challenge to share in this experience. We can’t wait to get started together preparing for the autumn.’
