Doncaster Knights bolster coaching ranks with a familiar name
The latest Ford off the coaching production line has parked up at Doncaster Knights.
Jacob Ford, the son of much-travelled league and union coach Mike and brother of last season’s head coach Joe and England fly-half George, has joined the Castle Park outfit as specialist attack coach.
He began work on Monday at the Champ Rugby club, walking into a club buoyed by Saturday’s 24-21 win over Coventry.
Director of rugby Sir Ian McGeechan and head coach Darren Fearn have been looking for a coach to work on their attack since the summer and moved to appoint a rising star in coaching circles, who is not yet out of his 20s.
“I wonder what they talk about around the Ford dinner table,” joked Fearn, who was forwards coach under Joe Ford at Doncaster last season, before his promotion to head coach following Ford’s move to Sale.
“They’ve got a lot of knowledge between them, that family.”
Jacob Ford has coached in America, in education and for the last four years was director of rugby at Bury St Edmunds who play in National Two East. He is also a national talent pathway coach for Scotland Rugby.
Fearn added: “People will look at it and say it’s just Joe’s younger brother, but he’s a good coach, first and foremost.
“I’ve coached against Jacob many a time, we did our coaching course together.
“For a young bloke he’s got a hell of a cv and he’s going to be brilliant for us.
“We felt there was a good opportunity to get another coach on board so Jacob has come in and it’s brilliant to have him on board.
“We’re always trying to get better, there was an opportunity where we could get better by bringing Jacob in and we’re excited about what he’s going to bring.”
Ford is helping Fearn and the rest of the staff prepare the Knights for Saturday’s trip to Hartpury in the second tier, where they will look to build on the win over Coventry that moved them up to 10th.
“It’s done us the world of good,” said Fearn, after three previous defeats. “It’s four points on the table and that’s important. We’ve got plenty to go after but after a win your energy is up and you can feel that in the whole group.”