Neath have won four league titles under Phillips

Neath RFC have announced a major re-shuffle with coach Rowland Phillips taking up a director of rugby role at the Gnoll.

In his place comes Wales Under-20 coach Patrick Horgan who returns to the club, and he will be assisted by Arwel Thomas who has just retired from playing.

Horgan is likely to combine his job with his Wales role after leading them to fourth in the Junior World Cup.

"I'm excited to be returning to my home club once again," said Horgan

Earlier this week, Neath lost backs coach Gruff Rees to the Ospreys.

Ex-Glamorgan Wanderers coach Rees, 32, joined the All Blacks in 2006, forming a highly successful partnership with Phillips.

Neath have been the dominant force in the Welsh Premier Division since its inception in 2003.

They have won four Premiership titles and last season became the first team to do the league and cup double since Llanelli did in 1993.

Phillips was also a part-time defence coach at the Ospreys when they won the Celtic League in 2005.

And his efforts saw him recognised a year later when he was picked as part of the Wales coaching set-up under Gareth Jenkins.

But he lost his role when Jenkins was sacked last year after winning just six out of 20 games and exiting the World Cup at the pool stage.

Horgan took Ebbw Vale to fifth place in the Premiership last season where he combined his job with the Wales Under-20 role.