JONES TARGETS REGIONAL ROLE
MARK Jones says he wants to stay in Wales and would love to secure a coaching job with one of the four regions.
The former international wing has stepped down as head coach of RGC after three years in the role.
He enjoyed his time in North Wales, but says the travelling back and fore from his home in Neath was taking a toll and he has to put his young family first.
Jones also wants to return to coaching in professional rugby and says he is open-minded about where that might take him.
“It’s been a hell of an enjoyable experience at RGC. I have loved it,” said the 39-year-old father-of-two who enjoyed a stellar career with both Llanelli and the Scarlets.
“It’s the people who have made it. They have been terrific.
“You are doing 30 hours a week in the car, so it’s been hard.
“I was travelling eight hours a day on top of the actual time in work.
“I think I did 800 miles on the weekend, between North Wales, Blackpool, where my son was playing football, back to North Wales and then back home.
“There’s only so much you can do. “You are away a lot of the time and your kids and your wife are stuck here at home, running round here, there and everywhere.
“You have got to be happy in your home life if you want to do well in your work.
“So I’ve had to make that personal decision for the family, but I also want to coach at the highest level.
“I have got one eye looking at how I can do that.
“There’s been some discussions with different people, talking about different opportunities.
“There’s nothing concrete at the moment. I am really open to it.
“We are looking at all things at the moment.”
Jones won 47 caps for Wales in a playing career that also saw him win a Grand Slam in 2008. He retired in 2010 and has previously spent five years as Scarlets backs coach.
He says his preferred option would be to work in pro rugby in Wales.
“I would love to get back into PRO14 or Guinness Premiership, but particularly the PRO14,” he said.
“Coaching at a Welsh region would probably be the ideal scenario.
“Hopefully the record I have got of working with young players, in particular, and developing them stands up well.
“When I was at the Scarlets, I spent a hell of a lot of time with the likes of George North, Jonathan Davies, Scott Williams, Gareth Davies and Rhys Priestland.
“I learned a lot from working with those guys and they have come to me and said they really enjoyed working with me as well.
“So hopefully there’s enough people out there who will recognise I have got a lot to offer a rugby environment.”
Jones, who was an assistant with Wales in 2012-13, added: “Working with players with a tracksuit on is what I enjoy doing.
“What North Wales has done is help me develop the off-field stuff, managing people, departments and budgets.
“It has been really beneficial to me. I am a hell of a lot better coach than I was.
“If I could stay in Wales, I would love that. That would be the preferred option for me.
“But I also understand there are people already in roles and you’ve got to have the right opportunity. These jobs are few and far between. It’s a niche market.
“I am keen to coach at a pro level and keep moving myself on.
“I want to keep challenging myself and pushing myself.
“I just want to find an environment that will do that and will fit the family as well.
“If it means going a bit further afield, I want to be taking the family with me and settling.
“There has been a bit of interest from overseas, so I am really open minded at the moment.
“But the preference would be to stay in Wales obviously.”
Jones, from Builth Wells, has helped establish RGC as a force in the Principality Premiership, while the highlight of his reign was the Welsh Cup triumph of 2017 when they beat Pontypridd in the final.
“North Wales has been great to me and the people have been awesome,” he said. “There are a lot of hardworking, like-minded people there.
“Staying in the Premiership was the ultimate goal. That’s what I was tasked with, but more importantly it was creating a pathway for players and that’s what we have done.”