Wales have appointed Paul James as their new scrum coach following a freak training accident that sidelined Duncan Jones. Jones, 47, suffered a double knee injury during a live training session last week and underwent surgery, forcing him to miss the remainder of the Six Nations tournament.

James, 43, steps in from the Ospreys where he has been coaching since December 2018. The former Wales international with 66 caps brings extensive experience, having previously served as scrum and set-piece coach for Wales Under-20s in 2021. He will join the national team setup for the remainder of the Six Nations after Wales' opening 48-7 defeat against England.

Head coach Steve Tandy expressed disappointment for Jones while welcoming James to the coaching staff. The injury comes at a challenging time for Wales, who face France in Cardiff this weekend. James' appointment provides stability to the coaching team alongside permanent assistants Matt Sherratt and Danny Wilson, as Wales looks to recover from their tournament-opening loss.