Evans to take on key role for Keys

WARREN Gatland’s Six Nations ‘lucky charm’ Ian Evans is moving up the coaching ladder after being appointed forwards chief by Principality Premiership club Cross Keys.

Wales pocketed three Six Nations titles, two with Grand Slams, only losing once during the former lock’s 15 appearances in the championship, against Ireland four years ago.

Coincidence or not, but Wales haven’t won any silverware since his last appearance in the tournament, the record 30-3 demolition of England in Cardiff in March 2013.

The athletic 33-year-old formed a formidable lock partnership with Alun Wyn Jones and went to Australia with the Lions a few months later.

But the 33-times capped lock forward’s hopes of pocketing a fourth Six Nations title – an incredible record held by Gethin Jenkins and Adam and Ryan Jones – evaporated when he was ruled out of the 2014 tournament after being suspended for 12 weeks following his sending off for stamping while appearing for the Ospreys at Leinster in the European Cup.

He made one more Wales appearance, off the bench in the opening Test defeat against South Africa in Durban in 2014 and was forced to retire last April because of a recurring knee problem.

Evans, a four-time Pro12 title and Anglo-Welsh Cup medal winner while with the Ospreys, had been doing some coaching with home club Treorchy but has been given an opportunity by Cross Keys.

Head coach Greg Woods will leave Pandy Park following their WRU National Cup encounter with Pontypridd on January 6.

He has decided to move on for personal reasons and to seek a new challenge. Woods, whose playing career was ended early through injury, guided Key to arguably the finest season in their history, winning the Swalec Cup in 2012 and making it to the final of the British and Irish Cup.

Keys have promoted former Wales full-back Morgan Stoddart to head coach, with Evans coming in to work alongside backs coach Aled James, director of rugby Jonathan Westood and team manager Mark Prangell.