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British & Irish Lions

'An under-appreciated gem': The online reaction to Tandy making the Lions three years after Ospreys sacking

Josh Raisey

14 Apr 2021

(Photo by Getty Images)

Fans, players and pundits have been busy congratulating Steve Tandy online for the incredible turnaround in his career that culminated this week in his inclusion as an assistant coach with the Lions for their upcoming tour to South Africa.

Tandy’s appointment by Warren Gatland was been keenly discussed as he had parted ways with the Ospreys in 2018. He joined the Waratahs later that year and worked as their defence coach during the 2019 Super Rugby season before joining Gregor Townsend’s Scotland coaching team after the World Cup.

Scotland had the best defence in the 2020 Guinness Six Nations under Tandy, conceding a paltry five tries across the Championship. The defence was then the second-best in this year’s Six Nations behind Ireland, conceding the joint-fewest tries with ten. That included limiting England to only six points at Twickenham – a far cry from the pre-Tandy Scotland defence of 2019 which conceded the second-most points and tries.

Wales out-half and Lions selection hopeful Dan Biggar guests on RugbyPass All Access

Scotland will obviously now be without their head coach and defence coach for their summer’s internationals, but fans are hoping that having two coaches on Gatland’s staff will open the door for greater representation of Scottish players in the Lions squad this year.

The lack of Scottish players has been a feature of Gatland’s Lions squads in the past, but that was expected to change anyway before the appointment of Townsend and Tandy given the team’s performances this year.

Amazing news about Steve Tandy and the @lionsofficial coaching team ???
Congratulations Steve and all others appointed ??
— Sean Holley ?????????? (@_SeanHolley) April 13, 2021

January 2018 – Steve Tandy gets sacked from the Ospreys.
April 2021 – Steve Tandy gets named as an Assistant Lions Coach. ?
Disappointments are part of life, it builds character and makes you even more determined to succeed.
Well fekking done mate. ?
Tandy The Lion ? pic.twitter.com/uJBinBQJ6Y
— ??? ?????? (@LeeJarvis10) April 13, 2021

Waratahs had an under-appreciated gem in Steve Tandy.
Unfortunate the return of Matt Taylor to Aus translated to him leaving to take the up Scottish vacancy. Superb defence coach. https://t.co/tsWU3cSjk9
— iainpayten (@iainpayten) April 13, 2021

Since he and the @ospreys parted company three years ago, Steve Tandy's career has soared ever higher: @NSWWaratahs @Scotlandteam and now the Lions which shows you can't keep a good man down for long. So much for the green, green grass of home. https://t.co/QS4L1wwoaG
— Peter Jackson (@JackoRugby) April 13, 2021

https://twitter.com/1mikeywilliams/status/1381927214804041731?s=20

Tandy’s Lions appointment is a fantastic story. Really seems to have found his métier since finishing at the Ospreys
— Mike Pullen (@MikePullen1969) April 13, 2021

https://twitter.com/JamesRees8/status/1381909639768444931?s=20

What a turnaround for Steve Tandy, deserves it for job he’s done with Scotland???? Him and Townsend obviously work well together. Good fresh look about it ?
— Nathan Dark (@njdark7) April 13, 2021