Mark Jones joins Crusaders and Canterbury coaching teams

Former Wales international Mark Jones has been confirmed to join both the Crusaders and Canterbury Mitre 10 Cup campaigns for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. 

Jones is the fifth coach confirmed for the Crusaders, completing the balance of the coaching group for 2020. He will fill a specialist role assisting with team defence and position-specific player development.

Mark Jones is a former Scarlets winger, who represented the club for 12 years, and was named Captain of the side in 2009. He worked his way through the Under 18, Under 19 and Under 20 age-grades for Wales, making his debut for the national side in 2001 and going on to win a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2008. Jones also attended two Rugby World Cups, in 2003 and 2007, retiring from the game in 2010 with 47 international caps to his name. 

His transition to coaching followed shortly after the end of his playing career, when he signed on as a skills and attack coach with Scarlets from 2010-2015. Jones was attack coach for Wales during their successful 2013 Six Nations Grand Slam, and went on to become Head Coach of Rotherham Titans and RGC 1404. Most recently, he was with Namibia at the 2019 Rugby World Cup as an attack coach.  

For Canterbury Rugby (CRFU) this appointment follows December’s announcement that Reuben Thorne and Mark Brown will lead the Mitre 10 Cup programme as co-coaches. Jones will step in to the role of Backs Coach with Canterbury.