Nia Jones Set To Join Former Wales Coach Melissa Hyndman At Severn Stars

Wales’ most successful netball coach of recent times, Melissa Hyndman, and national team skipper Nia Jones are set to be re-united next season – in England.

Hyndman will be back in charge of a Netball Superleague club next season after being unveiled as the new head coach at Severn Stars.

One of her first big new signings will be Jones, who announced this week that she was leaving the Celtic Dragons after five years.

The dual netball and football international co-captained Wales during their recent Test series against World Cup nations, but has decided to leave the Dragons and switch to the Worcester-based Stars.

She will link up with fellow Welsh internationals Georgia Rowe and Cara lea Moseley.

New Zealander Hyndman led the Dragons to their only Superleague final in 2013 and steered Wales to a Netball Europe title, as well as to their highest world ranking of eighth.

She also qualified them for the 2014 Commonwealth Games before being sacked in rather unusual circumstances in 2014.

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Now she is back closer than ever to where she made such a massive impression on the sport in Wales and will work with a number of Welsh players at the University of Worcester and University of Gloucestershire co-owned team.

She takes over from Sam Bird, who moved on at the end of last season.

“I’ve been out of the League in a head coaching role for a few years now and the time was right.  I am hyper-excited to be taking on this role because the Stars have done a fantastic job in Superleague since their inception,” said Hyndman.

“My ambition for the coming season is to build a new culture, play some dynamic netball while putting out some top class performances.”

Hyndman played for the New Zealand Maoris before launching her coaching career. She worked her way up through the age groups of the national side in New Zealand, eventually coaching the Maoris before heading to Fiji for two years.

Then she came to Wales and made a massive impression on the game. After her dismissal she went on to become Director of Netball for Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate in Yorkshire, taking them to the National School Championship title, while the Wales team plunged to 12th in the world and failed to reach the World Cup  in Liverpool this year.

“There is a very talented, exciting group of athletes at the Stars and I cannot wait to work with them, especially with the blend of some new faces to the franchise for this season,” added Hyndman.