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Former Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny will once again join the national team’s coaching staff on a temporary basis.
The Lions legend was a part of Matt Sherratt’s interim staff in Japan last summer, looking after the kicking coaching for their two Test series in Kitakyushu and Kobe. When Steve Tandy took over as Wales head coach for the following autumn, former Wales fly-half Rhys Patchell was brought in on secondment to work on Wales’ kick strategy – while Halfpenny returned to Cardiff for one final year as a player-coach.
Patchell continued his role in the Six Nations, before being hired by ex-Wales boss Wayne Pivac as attack coach at Benetton for next season.
Halfpenny, meanwhile, hung up his boots from playing at the end of the current campaign – with his next move likely to be in coaching.
Wales are currently on the search for a permanent kicking coach, as well as an attacking skills coach.
Halfpenny is understood to have applied for the former.
Whether he gets that remains to be seen, but Tandy has brought the 37-year-old into camp to help out on an interim basis ahead of the Nations Championship fixtures against Fiji, Argentina and South Africa.
“It’s a huge honour to be asked to work with the men’s national squad again this summer and an exciting opportunity to be part of Steve’s coaching team in the first ever Nations Championship,” said Halfpenny.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in Japan last year and I’m looking forward to getting to work with the group and continuing my development as a coach over the next few weeks.”
Tandy added: “I’m pleased that Leigh is able to join the coaching team for our three Nations Championship games this July.
“His playing record speaks for itself and it’s great to get him on board with us as he continues to develop his coaching career. Our young backs will benefit a huge amount from the knowledge and experience that Leigh has to share.”
Having gone through his first two campaigns with just two permanent assistance coaches in Sherratt and Danny Wilson, Tandy’s coaching staff is starting to take shape.
New defence coach Pete Murchie joined up with the squad ahead of this summer’s campaign, while Dan Lydiate was hired on a full-time basis after working on secondment from the Dragons.
Having appointed Paul James as the new scrum coach ahead of the Barbarians match, all that is left is to find a permanent kicking coach and attacking skills coach.
James Hook and Scott Sneddon are believed to have applied for the role, alongside Halfpenny.
T. Rhys Thomas had initially been lined up for the skills coach role, but it’s understood that the Gloucester coach – who worked under Sherratt in last year’s Six Nations – won’t be joining Wales’ staff.
Cardiff coach Jonny Goodridge has been mentioned in dispatches – with the job believed to have been changed to focus more on the backs following the shift away from Thomas.
Last week, Tandy said that full-time hires were unlikely to be made ahead of the summer.
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