New Falcons boss targets top-flight survival (From The Northern Echo)

New Falcons boss targets top-flight survival

9:10am Friday 13th January 2012 in Newcastle Falcons By Scott Wilson

NEWCASTLE Falcons' incoming director of rugby Gary Gold insists the club is capable of retaining its Aviva Premiership status this season.

Gold was appointed yesterday after chairman Semore Kurdi confirmed Alan Tait's exit from Kingston Park, claiming the former head coach had opted to “take a break from rugby”.

Gold joins the Falcons on the back of four years as assistant coach with his native South Africa, and has also led Premiership side London Irish and South African Super 14 outfit Western Province.

The experienced Springbok, who will be assisted by former England defence coach Mike Ford, has been appointed until the end of the season and will begin work at the start of next week.

Forwards coach Paul Moriarty will take charge for Sunday's Amlin Challenge Cup home game against Italian side Petrarca Padova, a match Falcons will be expected to win.

Gold's first game will be another Challenge Cup fixture against Lyon, but the real work will begin once LV=Cup matches against Sale and Leicester are out of the way.

Newcastle travel to Bath on February 11 for the first of nine remaining league fixtures that will determine whether they can haul themselves off the foot of the table and avoid relegation to the Championship.

Five of those matches are away, including trips to Leicester and Gloucester, while Falcons' four remaining home games include outings against the current top two, Harlequins and Saracens.

The size of the task facing Gold is therefore considerable, but he is confident about his new side's chances of survival.

“This is an exciting challenge and I am delighted to have the opportunity to work in the Aviva Premiership,” said Falcons' new boss. “Newcastle Falcons is a big club with big ambition and an owner who is very determined, so anything is possible.

“I know a lot about the players and traditions of the club, so I am really looking forward to the challenge of keeping top-flight rugby in the North-East.

“I enjoyed my time in the Premiership with London Irish and I know the Premiership is very unforgiving. It is the toughest league in the world – anyone can beat anyone on their day. But I believe this side is more than capable of climbing the table.”

Ford's new position provides an early opportunity to resurrect his career after he was heavily criticised in the leaked players' report into England's abject display at last year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

The former rugby league player worked under Brian Ashton during the 2007 World Cup and was also part of the backroom set-up for the British Lions tour of New Zealand.

He will become defence coach at Kingston Park, with Gold in no doubt as to his pedigree despite his forced exit from the England camp.

“Mike is very highly thought of and has an incredible amount to offer,” he said. “He is the best in the business and I am looking forward to working with him.”

Tait has effectively been placed on gardening leave after publicly questioning his own position in the wake of last weekend's home defeat to Exeter.

The former Academy coach has suffered something of a crisis in confidence in recent weeks as Newcastle's position at the foot of the table has worsened.

Kurdi has acted decisively to enact a change and is hoping Gold's arrival has the desired effect.

“I would like to welcome Gary and Mike to the club,” said Newcastle's owner. “They will be a great asset alongside the existing coaching team and this is a demonstration of our intent to fight back and secure our Aviva Premiership status.”

Kurdi's overhaul does not end at first-team level as the Tyneside-based businessman has also appointed a new academy head coach.

James Ponton will work alongside academy manager Mark Laycock to help reinvigorate a production line that has slowed in recent years.

The 37-year-old, who had playing spells at Tynedale and West Hartlepool, spent six seasons at Leeds Tykes and worked under current England coach Stuart Lancaster.