The Wales boss has faced accusations of being out of his depth after a brutal start to life as an international head coach
Former Scotland international Jim Hamilton has launched a passionate defence of Wales head coach Steve Tandy, saying he is “100 per cent the right man” to lead the national team.
After an incredibly challenging start to life as Wales boss – which has seen his side lose five of the six matches under his leadership, while conceding a staggering 302 points and 42 tries – Tandy has been accused by some of being out of his depth, having never held an international head coaching role before.
The former Ospreys boss, who joined the Welsh set-up after leaving his position as Scotland’s defence coach last year, has also been juggling responsibility for Wales’ defence with his head coach duties, leading the likes of Sam Warburton to admit that he might be spreading himself too thinly.
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But with Tandy confirming that a specialist defence coach is being sought out, Hamilton says that there is “no doubt” that the 46-year-old is the right man to lead Wales, having “gone all in” to “pick up the pieces” of the struggling national team.
Ahead of Scotland’s visit to the Principality Stadium this weekend, the Premier Sports pundit admitted he had been really impressed by how Tandy has handled himself as head coach and stressed that things will come good for the Wales boss after “the toughest of tough starts”.
Asked if he thought Tandy was the right man to take Wales forward, Hamilton told WalesOnline: “Undeniable. There’s no doubt in my mind. If not Steve, then who? That’s one way to ask the question, who would take the job?
“Steve has walked away from Scotland when they’re in a position where they are probably as good as they have ever been to take a job, which you can see by the way that he speaks and conducts himself, means more to him than we will ever know.
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“I listen to him talk in press conferences and I see that raw emotion and the love for Wales. You hear everything about how he has gone all in and left his family up in Scotland.
“He has gone all in, to grassroots, to club, to national team to pick up the pieces of a national team that has been left in the way it has. There’s no other ways to describe how fractured the place was.
“He’s the man who is fronting it, every press conference,” the former Scotland lock continued, as he pointed to Wales’ brutal run of recent fixtures, which has seen them take on five of the world’s current top six teams.
“You’ve not seen any green shoots from the outside looking in and he’s got the toughest job when it comes to an international Tier 1 team – but look at who they have played. It’s been the toughest of tough starts and that’s where you will learn the most out of your men, in the face of ultimate adversity.
“At some point, something is going to come good for them. Steve Tandy has got a lot to work with but I’m looking at the way he conducts himself, I’m looking at a proud Welshman. Who else would you want in charge? He is 100 per cent the right man.”
With Tandy coming up against former boss Gregor Townsend in Cardiff on Saturday, Hamilton said the Wales head coach should tell his players to be brave, with the visitors heading to the Principality Stadium off the back of a huge Calcutta Cup win over England.
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While Scotland won the aerial battle at Murrayfield last weekend, the 43-year-old admitted there are still questions around their mental fragility, with Wales needing to “take risks” to potentially spring a surprise against Townsend’s men.
He also questioned the “crazy decision” for Wales to keep the stadium roof shut for their Six Nations home games, adding that wet weather could act as “a leveller” for the hosts.
“If I was Steve Tandy, I’m not closing the roof,” said Hamilton, who was at the Principality Stadium for Wales’ defeat to France last weekend. “I’m saying keep it open, please.”
Asked what his team talk would be if he was in Tandy’s position, he added: “I suppose it would be to not give Scotland any ball, however you do that. Scotland’s back line is freakishly good. To get themselves in the game, Wales are going to have to take risks.
“They’re going to have to be brave and take Scotland on where they were unbelievable against England, which is their aerial ability. People don’t like this about kicking the ball but, in order to get into the game when you have such structured defences, you have to then mitigate that by opening up the probabilities, having 50:50 contestable kicks.
“I saw Ellis Mee, he looked really brave, and Josh Adams as we know has loads of experience,” Hamilton continued. “But in order to get the ball into the hands of Louis Rees-Zammit and have broken play, they are going to need to be really brave in what they are doing.
“It’s hard, because I don’t have the answers for Wales and nor do I want them, as a Scotland fan. But if I’m Steve Tandy, I’m saying you need to be brave to take on this Scotland team and you need to be able to get under their skin and make them start questioning if they are mentally fragile.
“On the flip side of that, we know that Scotland can get up for one game, they do it all the time, but can they [back it up]? That’s what makes this contest so good, that’s why everyone has got their eyes on it. Can Wales pull something out of the bag? Are Scotland mentally fragile? Do they have it in them to back it up?
“That’s what we love about the Six Nations, when you’re operating in this next tier down from the two, three best teams in the world, anything can happen,” he added. “I put Scotland in that next tier down because, until they prove otherwise, we’re not going to judge them any other way.”
Jim Hamilton is part of the Premier Sports team bringing live Guinness Men’s Six Nations Rugby to rugby fans across the UK – broadcasting one live match per round throughout the 2026 Championship, as the home of elite rugby which includes EPCR rugby, Top 14, URC, MRL from the USA and Japan League One.
This Saturday join Jim Hamilton, Ryan Wilson, Tom Shanklin, Rory Lawson and Ryle Nugent pitch side at the Principality Stadium for Wales v Scotland on Premier Sports 1 and Premier Sports Rugby from 4pm. To join in visit www.premiersports.com from £11.99 a month.