ROWLAND Phillips has ruled out a revolution after taking over as London Welsh defence coach.

The 49-year-old former Wales international was unveiled on Monday after quitting as Neath’s director of rugby.

While he accepts tightening up the Exiles’ rearguard will be a huge challenge, Phillips will not act rashly.

Phillips was brought in by head coach Justin Burnell, but Ollie Smith, who was formerly in charge of defence, remains as an assistant.

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“I don’t want to make the mistake of trying to shake everything up and start again,” he insisted.

“To be fair to Ollie, there is a lot of good stuff already in the group.

“We need to make sure we are ready and the detail is right.”

Improving their defence may not necessarily mean wholesale changes to Welsh’s style of play.

Phillips said: “There’s so many things that affect that part of your game.

“We are not about just changing a bit of structure here and there.

“If you really want to achieve something, you have got to believe in what you are doing.

“It has got to be an important part of your culture.”

Phillips is not expecting to have a role in selection straight away.

He said: “I have just got to make sure that everybody is up to speed with the defensive side of it and give players the opportunity to get selected.”

Phillips now faces one of the biggest tests of his rugby life in tightening up a defence that has conceded 399 points in nine matches.

But he said: “My focus isn’t really worrying about my career.

“It’s all about helping improve things and getting this club winning.

“That is all my focus is on. It is not going to be easy, but no challenge ever is.

“I am really, really looking forward to it.”

Welsh are bottom of the Aviva Premiership and have lost all nine of their matches this season, but Phillips had no hesitation returning to the club he captained in the late 1990s.

“It’s very attractive, to work in a fully professional competition with a club that I have an association with,” he said.

“People might ask that question, ‘are you taking a risk’?

“But this is something I am excited about.”

He added: “It’s just like I have never been away. It’s good to come back.

“There’s a lot of things that haven’t changed that much and I think that’s a positive.”

Having previuously faced Burnell on the touchline, Phillips is now relishing teaming up with him.

“I know Justin Burnell very well,” he said.

“We have coached against each other with many different clubs.

“When I was at Aironi in Italy, he was with Cardiff Blues.

“He is experienced and knows what is needed to try and push things forward.”

Phillips added: “Looking at recent games, the one thing that’s clear is that there is a lot of desire in the group.”

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