FORMER fly-half Tom Hancock has been appointed as Pontypool’s head of rugby analysis as the club plot a return to the Principality Premiership.

The 32-year-old helped Pooler win back-to-back crowns in the WRU National Championship.

Hancock, who also pulled the strings for Newport, will now concentrate on off-field matters to help head coach Leighton Jones try and lead the club back to the top flight now that ring-fencing has ended ahead of the return to a 12-team Premiership in 2019/20.

"We are delighted that Tom will remain at the club in this new capacity and it provides an excellent opportunity to further enhance the cohesiveness between us as a coaching unit and our equally committed squad,” said Jones.

"As a player, Tom has served the club with distinction. He was a dedicated and hard-working member of the squad and he will undoubtedly bring these same qualities to this new role.

“It is superb to see so many of our former players graduating to managerial positions within the club, as this demonstrates the importance we place on keeping people within our environment who respect our unshakable set of values.”

The left-footer scored 587 points in 141 appearances for Pooler after making his debut in 2008.

Hancock said: “I am delighted to have extended my association with such a fantastic club and I am really excited by the opportunity to continue to play a role in ensuring Pooler achieves its long-standing aim of securing a return to the Premiership.

“It is great to see how much stability we have at present. It gives us a fantastic platform to build on and this continuity within the team will continue to be a big asset in terms of growing in our performance season-on-season.

“I have hugely enjoyed the experience of playing for Pooler and I am proud of the fact that, myself included, the entire coaching staff have at some point played for the club.

“It ensures a link remains from the past to the present and this closeness will enable us to make the marginal gains that will push our performances to the next level.”

Pooler have retained the services of 30 of last season’s playing squad while Jones’ backroom staff have also signed contract extensions.

Matthew Jones (backs coach), Andrew Quick (defence coach), Rhys Dyer (head of performance), Gareth Rusby-Davies (team manager), Angus Robertson (medical director), Alena Dostalova (lead physiotherapist) and Lucy Phillips (masseuse) will remain at Pontypool Park.

Jones said: “So much of what the club has achieved during its extended stay in the Championship is attributable to the countless hours of hard work and dedication delivered by our coaching and support staff.

“Not only has it been vital to retain the nucleus of our squad to ensure we have stability on the field, it was of equal importance that we kept our team of staff together as they have been so key to driving and maintaining the standards we expect from everybody who represents the club.”