The 48-year-old Burnell steps into the breach two days after Jones, the former Scarlets and Wales wing and backs coach, left the club. His first game in charge will be this weekend’s rearranged British & Irish Cup game against Ealing Trailfinders.
As well as coaching the Wales Under 19 team to a Grand Slam in 2006, Burnell was the forwards coach at Cardiff Blues when they reached Heineken Cup semi-final in 2009. He also assisted Dai Young’s side in winning the Anglo-Welsh Cup in 2009 and the Amlin Challenge Cup in 2010.
He took over as the head coach at the Blues when Young left to go to Wasps in 2011 and led them into the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup. In 2013 he became head coach at London Welsh and led the Exiles into the Aviva Premiership.
“We have six huge league games remaining and our big focus is to ensure we maintain our Championship status. What we have to do as a management and as a group of players is ensure there are no banana skins along the way,” said Burnell.
He joins a number of other Welsh coaches at clubs in in the Championship – Mike Rayer (Bedford Blues), Rowland Phillips (London Welsh), Sean Holley (Bristol), Clive Griffiths (Doncaster Knights), Ian Davies and Gavin Cattle (Cornish Pirates).
