SRC: Pontypool head coach Tom Hancock on his shock promotion

The former fly-half is calling the shots at Pooler, who travel to Swansea on Thursday night in Super Rygbi Cymru, after initially returning from Llandovery this summer as attack coach.

Then Leighton Jones – the former captain who spearheaded Pontypool’s return to the top flight – made a shock exit in the second week of the season.

Hancock held the reins as caretaker boss before being appointed as head coach.

The 38-year-old aims to build on what Jones achieved at the club, and was thrilled to receive a personal message from his old teammate and boss after last weekend’s dramatic 17-14 Gwent derby win over Newport.

LEGEND: Leighton Jones captained Pontypool before becoming head coach

“Leighton is a great person, character and coach,” said Hancock. “He was my first captain when I arrived at Pontypool, he gave me my first start in coaching after I finished playing and he brought me back from Llandovery.

“I have a hell of a lot to thank him for and I learnt so much from him. I had a lovely text from him after the Newport game saying that the win had made him proud as a Pontypool person.

“I've got massive shoes to fill but what I can't do is try to be him, because we are totally different people and coaches. I have to try and do it my way but I am fortunate to be able to follow what he has put in place.”

Hancock, who combines the role with his job as Dragons academy coach, arrived to be one of the deputies but now he is top of the coaching tree.

“You get more people coming to you for answers rather than just being in charge of your own stuff, everyone seems to be coming to my door but I knew what I was signing up to,” said the boss, who previously worked with the Scarlets age-grade sides and was head of rugby at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman.

“It was never the plan, I was coming in to work as attack coach under Leighton but things changed. It definitely caught me by surprise but I am enjoying it.”

And Hancock is clear that there is no revolution in Torfaen, the plan is to build on an encouraging first season back in the top flight.

Pooler finished sixth in the Premiership and are currently in that spot in SRC, with three wins and three defeats.

INFLUENTIAL: Morgan Allen has led the charge since returning to Pontypool (Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency)

“Whatever I am bringing in needs to be bolted on to what was there already - a strong pack, clear identity, tough defence that isn’t easy to break down,” said Hancock.

“We will look to add a bit of detail and imagination to our starter, first-phase and phase play attack so that we can beat teams in different ways.

“Look at Llandovery, Newport, Cardiff over the last few years - they can play in different ways in all sorts of conditions.

“You cannot expect to go into the latter stages of competitions unless you have a rounded game so the goal is to develop an all-court game.”

Pooler are building nicely yet head to winless Swansea with the aim of breaking a sequence; so far they are LWLWLW after edging out Newport thanks to Sam Scarfe's late try.

“We have been really inconsistent and are a bit of a yo-yo team, both during games and from week to week,” admitted Hancock.

“We need to get a bit of consistency and be really hard to beat - tough, resilient, all the things that Pontypool have been in recent years - to go along with the bit of quality in attack.

“Last weekend gives the boys confidence in the work that we are doing because Newport are among the favourites for the SRC.

“They are a really good side with talented players and they are well-coached, so it will give us great confidence to compete against them and sneak over the line.

“Now we have to do it again in a dangerous fixture - Swansea are struggling a bit but we cannot underestimate them.

“We need to approach it with the same intensity as we did against Newport. We can't take our foot off the gas.”