Newcastle Red Bulls part company with Diamond

Newcastle Red Bulls have parted company with director of rugby Steve Diamond.

The news comes after just one match of the new Prem season which the renamed Red Bulls lost 39-17 at home to Saracens.

As Diamond departs, Neil McIlroy will arrive on 1 November in the newly created role of sporting general manager, with responsibility for all rugby management.

Alan Dickins will take on the role of head coach, reporting to McIlroy, while Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend is to become a part-time adviser on strategy and philosophy for the north east club.

Diamond arrived at Kingston Park in January 2024 and led Newcastle through a difficult period with the club stuck at the bottom of the league, managing only two wins from 25 league games.

Previous owner Semore Kurdi put the club up for sale last November, and it was not until August that global energy drinks giants Red Bull completed its takeover.

A whole raft of players have arrived in a short space of time, but this is by far the most significant decision taken by the new owners.

Diamond's departure comes as part of a wider restructure off the field at Newcastle.

McIlroy will arrive with experience from holding similar roles with French rugby league club Catalans Dragons and Top 14 outfit Clermont Auvergne.

On top of this, John Fletcher is to join on 1 December as the club's new academy and pathways director, having been head of pathways with Scottish Rugby, while former Scotland captain Jonny Petrie is to become managing director from Monday, after he previously held executive roles at Edinburgh and Ulster.

Ahead of the new season starting, rumours circulated that Newcastle were in talks with Townsend to become their director of rugby.

He signed a new contract with Scottish Rugby until the 2027 Rugby World Cup, but he will now undertake this advisory role with Red Bulls.

At the time of the speculation around his role, Diamond told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast: "Well there's always going to be speculation about my job.

"I've managed to be part of a process which has got probably the best investor into rugby since it went professional, and they've given me a task for the next 12 months.

"Anyone that knows me I don't work on any longer contracts than 12 months, I don't have three, four-year contracts. I don't sit on my hands. I'm hard working, I'm loyal and we'll see where we go after this 12 months."