Newcastle Red Bulls confirm new head coach to lead staff littered with former internationals
Newcastle Red Bulls’ confirm new head coach to lead staff littered with former internationals
Newcastle Red Bulls have confirmed that Dan McFarland will take over as head coach this summer, while Calum MacRae will return to the club that he left in 2014.
A statement released by the club reads:
‘McFarland arrives from Japanese title contenders Kobelco Steelers, while MacRae will head back to Kingston Park as defence coach once his duties with Italian side Benetton are concluded at the end of the current season.
Stephen Jones (attack coach), Micky Ward (scrum coach) and Lee Dickson (skills and transition coach) will all remain in position, while Mark Laycock takes up the role of coaching co-ordinator and transition coach.
All three of the Red Bulls’ senior coaches will boast head coach or international level experience, with Ward, Laycock and Dickson ensuring continuity and a strong affinity with the local area.’
“A club intent on success”
McFarland, a man with over 20 years of coaching experience, spoke ahead of his arrival, saying: “I’m very honoured to be joining Newcastle Red Bulls.
“The club and wider region has a fantastic rugby tradition which I am very respectful of, and keen to learn more about.
“I’m looking forward to working with all the players and support staff, and being heavily involved in one of the most exciting projects in world rugby at the moment.
“Newcastle Red Bulls are a club intent on success. The possibilities for the club are huge, but nothing happens in sport without hard work and quality processes being put in place.
“The excellent work done on recruitment has meant that there will be lots of new talent arriving in the North East to join the team, and after a great experience out in Japan over the past couple of years, I’m looking forward to getting stuck into this exciting new challenge.”
McFarland’s coaching pedigree is well documented, having spent many years in Scotland and Ireland with various top-level teams and national setups.
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The return of MacRae
Former Newcastle skills and attack coach MacRae will join the 54-year-old as they look to rebuild a side that has struggled greatly in recent times.
The former Scotland A and 7s international spent the subsequent five seasons on the coaching staff at Edinburgh, helping them to the Champions Cup quarter-finals before joining Benetton, initially as defence coach, before taking over as head coach a year ago.
MacRae said: “I’m delighted to be coming back to the club where it all started for me as a coach, and at the start of an exciting new chapter with Red Bull.
“After my time in the URC with Edinburgh and Benetton Rugby it feels a great point to be coming back to the Gallagher PREM.
“The club’s vision and ambition to compete at the top of the PREM and Europe is clear. I’m highly motivated to contribute to those objectives with a talented group of players and coaches.
“Having family in Newcastle and Teesside makes it even more special for me to be representing both them and the people of the North East again.”
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Newcastle Red Bulls coaching structure
The club confirmed their upcoming coaching structure, adding:
‘Wales and Lions legend Stephen Jones reverts to his role as attack coach after joining from Super Rugby side Moana Pasifika earlier this season.
Newcastle’s all-time appearance record holder Micky Ward continues to lead the Red Bulls’ scrum, while former England, Newcastle and Northampton scrum-half Lee Dickson goes full-time as skills and transition coach.
Mark Laycock will serve as coaching co-ordinator and transition coach as the club aims to continue its proud record of bringing through homegrown talent, with the new coaching team taking charge of an exciting new playing group.
Among the many confirmed arrivals for next season are All Black No.8 Hoskins Sotutu, England scrum-half Raffi Quirke, Hurricanes flyer Fehi Fineanganofo, Maori All Blacks prop Pouri Rakete-Stones, Scotland hooker George Turner and Argentina lock Franco Molina, to name just a few.’