Cardiff Blues: Danny Wilson a 'good appointment' - Dwayne Peel

Danny Wilson led Wales Under-20 to a third-place finish at the 2012 Junior World Championships.

Former Wales scrum-half Dwayne Peel says new Cardiff Blues head coach Danny Wilson is ready to step up and provide long-term stability for the region.

Peel, 33, worked with Wilson, 38, at Bristol.

"At the age he is, he's probably looking long-term there and that's what the Blues want there," Peel told BBC Wales Sport.

"They don't need a coach to come in for a year or two. I think from the Blues' point of view it's a good appointment."

"They want someone who's going to be there for five, six, seven years and build a team," added Peel, who is sorry to see Wilson leave Bristol.

"Obviously it's a massive job for anyone going into Cardiff, but he believes he's ready for it.

"Even though he's done the head coach role with Wales Under-20 it's a massive step up for him, but I'm sure he's more than capable of doing it."

But former Cardiff and Wales wing Adrian Hadley has more mixed feelings about Wilson's appointment despite wishing him well in his new role.

"Cardiff are a massive region, a capital city region and though I'm not knocking Danny Wilson, I'm not sure whether they should have gone for a bigger name," said Hadley.

Wilson takes over on a three-year contract after a series of changes in the head role since the departure of long-serving Dai Young to Wasps in 2011.

The region has been run by Gareth Baber and Justin Burnell, Phil Davies, Paul John and Dale McIntosh (twice), and New Zealander Mark Hammett.

Dale McIntosh (left) and Paul John (right) played and coached together at Pontypridd before joining Cardiff Blues

John and McIntosh both expressed their interest in the main job after a second spell as interim caretaker coaches, but the region will allow Wilson to decide on his staff.

Hadley has reservations about Wilson after Bristol's failure to reach the Premiership, being outmuscled by Worcester in the Championship final play-off.

"He's done well with Wales Under-20 and he's turned the Scarlets pack around, but he's been with Bristol who've been demolished upfront by Worcester and haven't got into the Premiership," said Hadley.

"Any supporter of the Blues or anyone with any affiliation with the region will wish him well, but it'll be interesting now as to what staff he puts in around him.

"It's his head on the block so he's got to be the one to make the decisions."