Three Wales internationals went for a job, and it was not the set-up to a joke, but rather how Steve Tandy landed upon Paul James as his new scrum coach. Others might have applied, but it always seemed like a three-way battle among men who, between them, had amassed 218 caps for their country: Adam Jones, Duncan Jones, and Paul James.
Three Props, One Job
All three are props with fine careers for Wales, each having spent part of the last 18 months involved in Wales' coaching group on a temporary basis. Adam Jones was there for the 2025 Six Nations, as well as the following summer tour of Japan. His 'hear bear' namesake Duncan Jones was then brought in for the autumn campaign under Tandy before returning for this year's Six Nations. However, a freak injury in training opened the door for James, with the Ospreys U18s coach making a strong impact during the campaign.
Scrum Statistics Under the Joneses
Under the two Joneses, Wales' scrum had been decent enough in 2025. According to Opta, only the Springboks won more ball on opposition feed than Wales last year. Four Tier One nations—South Africa, England, Italy, and New Zealand—had a better percentage of scrum penalties on their own feed. Then, under James' eye, Wales' scrum went well in the Six Nations. Statistically, they had a better percentage on not just their own feed but opposition feeds than France, Scotland, and Ireland. Only England and Italy, with the former boasting an impressively dominant scrum, bettered Wales. With Tomas Francis back at tighthead to anchor the set-piece, that certainly helped.
James Makes His Mark
Prior to the Six Nations, sources told WalesOnline that there was supposedly little time spent on the scrum at the start of camps. But the word was that James had proven very popular with players. Clearly, he made an impact. All three would seemingly have had a strong case when it came to interviewing with the Welsh Rugby Union. Of course, all three are coaches with their own view of the scrum. Ask anyone who has played under them, and they'd likely tell you they all view the scrum in slightly different ways.
The Race Heats Up
In recent weeks, sources suggested that Duncan Jones was perhaps lagging a little behind following the interviews, leaving the race seemingly between James and Adam Jones. As for Adam Jones, the suggestion is that Harlequins would not stand in the way of him taking a job with Wales. Whereas Danny Wilson's departure last year seemed to cause a stir with CEO Laurie Dalrymple, there did not seem to be the same hurdles to clear. Had Wales looked to perhaps their greatest ever tighthead, it is hard to believe the Gallagher Premiership club would have offered any sticking points. James was Tandy's man, however.
Appointment Confirmed
The initial talk was that the successful candidate was supposed to be told a couple of weeks prior to Wales' announcement on Friday. However, that date came and went without any contact from the WRU. The search for kicking and attacking skills coaches remains ongoing. But after a month or so of searching, the WRU have a full-time scrum coach—someone who will not just focus on the national team but work right through the production line in order to make Wales stronger for years to come.
Future of the Welsh Scrum
Will Collier, the former England prop who worked under Jones at Harlequins, noted earlier in the year that Wales' scrum can "look solid one week and creaky the next." Over the past year, under the two Joneses and James, there has been some steps forward taken. Now, with James in the role all by himself, it will be interesting to see what identity Wales forge in that area. In recent years, Wales have been a little submissive in that area of the game. There has been a lot of talk about getting pictures right for referees, rather than just trusting the actions on the field. Thankfully, with Nicky Smith back in the Test fold—given few players can earn scrum penalties as readily as the loosehead—that has already begun to change. Perhaps, when it came down to it, convincing Tandy that there are further strides to be made there could be what got James the nod over the two Joneses.
