Wales: Coaches Wilson, Sherratt and Jones join for Pacific Islands tour

Matt Sherratt (right) worked alongside Robin McBryde during Wales' autumn international series

Three regional coaches will join Wales for the 2017 Pacific Islands tour.

Cardiff Blues head coach Danny Wilson, his attack coach Matt Sherratt and Scarlets backs coach Stephen Jones will join tour head coach Robin McBryde for the Tests against Tonga and Samoa.

The move is to develop Welsh coaches in the absence of Warren Gatland and Rob Howley, who will be on the British and Irish Lions' tour of New Zealand.

Alex Lawson will also join as assistant strength and conditioning coach.

Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Martyn Phillips said: "We see this as the start of a push to work closely with the regional coaches and very much intend to involve additional coaches in the years ahead as opportunities arise."

Jones, a double Grand Slam-winning former Wales fly-half who won 104 caps, began his coaching career at Wasps and returned to Scarlets as backs coach in 2015.

Former Wales Under-20s head coach Wilson joined Cardiff Blues from Bristol in 2015 having previously worked with Scarlets and Newport Gwent Dragons.

Sherratt followed Wilson from Bristol to the Blues and was part of Wales' coaching team for the 2016 autumn series, which saw Wales win three out of their four fixtures.