Dean Richards steps down as DOR of Newcastle

Newcastle director of rugby Dean Richards is negotiating an alternative role at the club following reports he is stepping down from his current position.

Richards has been the club’s DOR for 10 years and the ex-Leicester, Grenoble and Harlequins boss has admitted he is in talks with Newcastle chairman Semore Kurdi.

He said: “At the moment I’m talking to Semore about it. I have been a DOR for 25 years or so and it’s been a long haul, to be honest. At the same time, I’m still keen as mustard and still enjoy the sport and the match days more than anything.

“I have always done the contract negotiations, so I have never taken any baggage like that on the field. That is one of the reasons I don’t go onto the field, is that I do all that side of things. I do employ a number of very good coaches to deliver a format and they deliver it well. I trust them to do that. That is the way I have always worked.”