Jason Strange — the man who guided Wales to a stylish U20s Six Nations title five years ago — is returning to Welsh rugby as head coach at Ebbw Vale RFC.
The Steelmen parted company with Greg Woods and his management team earlier this week.
Hit hard by injuries, the club had gone on an eight-game losing streak to finish bottom of their pool in the Welsh Premiership Cup. A ‘mutual decision’ to make changes duly followed.
Thet have now appointed Strange at the helm.
He will combine the Vale job with his role as kicking coach at St Helens rugby league club, the reigning Super League champions.
For the 48-year-old, it will mean a return to old ground, with Strange having enjoyed success in a five-season coaching stint at Vale up to 2015, helping them to titles in Division One East and the Championship before spearheading a strong return to the Welsh Premiership.
He met the Vale players on Wednesday evening and laid out his plans for the Premiership season which starts on December 11. It's hoped a new coaching team will be in place by this weekend.
Vale chairman Jon Jones said: “Having initially approached Jason for advice on the search for a new coaching group, it became clear that he wanted to return to the club.
“That was the quickest and simplest decision I have made in rugby.
“He is a top-quality coach and person who I have a lot of history with and a great working relationship. He understands the club, the community and has a clear idea how to improve team performance and the club overall. His track record at Ebbw Vale, Wales U20’s and St Helens speaks for itself and I am looking forward to working with him again. "
Strange did an excellent job with Wales U20s, encouraging players to express themselves, with the likes of Keelan Giles, Owen Watkin, Dillon Lewis, Adam Beard and Harrison Keddie flourishing as the side swept the board in the 2016 Six Nations, their triumph including a 42-16 win over England in Bristol.
It didn’t work out so well at Cardiff Blues in his next job — he left in 2019 and said recently how glad he was to have left Welsh rugby behind: “I’ve been involved in Welsh rugby all my life and sometimes you’ve just got to smile at the politics, because there’ll always be politics in Welsh rugby, but you brush yourself down and move on.
“At the moment I’m enjoying coaching in rugby league.
“It’s worked out perfectly for me. I wasn’t disappointed to be leaving.”
But the former fly-half is well thought in the Welsh game of and knows the Premiership: it will be a surprise if he doesn’t make an impact.
“I’m really looking forward to going back to the club,” he said after his new role was announced.
“I’m positive that with the right individuals we can replicate past successes and make supporters proud again.
“It will mean a fair amount of commuting for myself between St Helens rugby league (and Ebbw Vale) but it is helpful that the Super League season doesn’t start until mid-February and runs through the summer months.”
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