Newcastle Falcons have announced the appointment of Steve Diamond as consultant director of rugby.
The vastly-experienced Lancastrian will take up his new role next month, with current head coach Alex Codling stepping away from day-to-day duties.
Forwards coach Micky Ward will take interim charge for the Falcons’ upcoming games in Perpignan and Northampton, after which point Diamond will arrive in the North East, combining duties at Newcastle with his consultancy role at the RFU.
The former hooker has a well-deserved reputation as one of the most astute operators in the game.
Appearing more than 300 times in Sale’s front row, he embarked on a 23-year coaching and managerial career, more than a decade of which was spent at Sale.
Having coached with Saracens, England A and the Russian national team, Diamond’s last Premiership appointment was with Worcester Warriors, whose final game in September 2022 saw them inflicting a 39-5 defeat on Newcastle.
A proud northerner who has long advocated for rugby in this region, Diamond spent a significant part of last year helping Edinburgh in his role as lead rugby consultant.
Newcastle Falcons chairman of rugby Matt Thompson said: “I am delighted to welcome Steve Diamond to the club. He is well known and respected throughout rugby, and we believe he is the right man to help us take the club forward.
“The work he did up at Edinburgh recently has contributed enormously to putting them on a sure footing, and at Worcester he did a remarkable job in exceptionally difficult circumstances.
“He knows the English rugby landscape very well, he is passionate about having a strong northern presence in the Gallagher Premiership and I’m excited about what can be achieved here with him on board.
“I would like to thank Alex Codling for all the hard work he has put in during his time as head coach, and during this interim period we will give Micky Ward all the support he needs for our games in Perpignan and Northampton.”
QUIZ: Can you name England’s Grand Slam winning XV from 2016?
Back in 2016, England clinched a Six Nations Grand Slam with a triumphant 31-21 victory over France at the Stade de France in Paris.
This historic win, the team’s first Grand Slam in 13 years under Eddie Jones’ leadership, marked a significant milestone.
Now, lace up your virtual boots and see if you can recall the rest of the XV from the final match of the Six Nations.
We’ve already revealed Maro Itoje and Owen Farrell’s names to give you a head start on this virtual rugby challenge.
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