Danny Wilson exits Harlequins 15 days before season starts for Test role

Danny Wilson will leave Harlequins after Friday night’s PREM Rugby Cup match away to Newcastle Red Bulls as he takes up the role of assistant coach to Wales boss Steve Tandy.

Wilson joined Harlequins as a lineout and contact coach in January 2023 and was appointed head coach ahead of the 2023-24 season, but was seconded to Wales for the two Tests against Japan this summer.

The former Cardiff Blues and Glasgow Warriors boss will now return to take on responsibility for lineout and contact areas on a permanent, full-time basis, starting with the visit of Argentina to Cardiff in November.

Wilson has previously worked with Tandy as part of Scotland’s backroom team during the 2019/20 international season.

Tandy said: “I’m delighted to welcome Danny to the team on a permanent basis. I’ve worked with him before when we were both with Scotland, and also during his time at Glasgow Warriors. He is an outstanding coach.
“This is a really exciting time, and I’m grateful to Danny for accepting the challenge to share in this experience. We can’t wait to get started together preparing for the autumn.”

Wilson said that it wasn’t an easy decision to leave the Twickenham Stoop, but it’s a huge honour to have been asked to join Tandy’s coaching staff.

“This has been a really tough decision for me to make as I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Quins, but the chance to join Wales and return to international rugby was simply too good an opportunity to turn down.
“Having the opportunity to experience international rugby again for the interim period with Wales this summer in Japan was a huge honour.

“I’m delighted to be able to return on a permanent basis and to work again with Steve and this exciting group of young players,” said Wilson.

“Danny is a great addition to our coaching team and brings a skill set that is very complementary to Steve’s. I’m excited to see the focus and detail he will bring to the role and the positive impact he will have on our game.

“We continue to work systematically to recruit Steve’s assistants to form the platform for the long-term success of the men’s national squad,” said WRU Director of Rugby and Elite Performance, Dave Reddin.