Relegation confirmed as Leeds delay appointing coach

Leeds Carnegie’s search for a new head coach has been put on hold as the club carry out a root and branch assessment of their organisation.

The Yorkshire club’s relegation from the Premiership was confirmed last night when Worcester defeated Cornish Pirates 25-20 to win the Championship play-off and clinch promotion.

Leeds were not banking on Pirates reprieving them and have been planning for the second tier since May 7, when they finished bottom.

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Neil Back quit as head coach last week, with former Doncaster director of rugby Lynn Howells, ex-Leeds Rhino and union coach Gary Mercer and current coach Simon Middleton all in the frame to lead the club’s attempt to bounce straight back next season.

But with repayments on a debt of £2m to commence on July 1, a 21-strong backroom staff to be trimmed and an ever-expanding player exodus led by Steve Thompson, Scott Mathie and Alfie To’oala, the club’s priority is to ensure any incoming head coach has a staff to work with.

“Ever since Northampton we have been planning for the Championship,” said chief executive Gary Hetherington. “Not only that but we have been looking very closely at where we want to be and how we are going to get there.

“This has been an opportunity for us to have a good look at the strengths and weaknesses of our organisation. We are trying to put a plan together that gives everyone something to buy into and work towards.

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“At the same time, we are dealing with the staff restructure and existing player contracts. We are doing all this on an individual basis and we hope to have that done by the middle of next week.

“In an ideal world you would have a head coach in first and then review the staff later, but we can’t do that because the livelihoods of our own staff and players are at stake.

“We are still interested to hear from anybody available and interested in the head coach’s job.

“But any new head coach will be coming into a restructured department and the head coach will be the only external appointment made, if indeed it is external.

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“We will sit down and discuss the head coach role after the restructure. There is no definite timespan for making an appointment.”

Leicester centre Manu Tuilagi has received a five-week ban for punching Northampton wing Chris Ashton during last Saturday’s Aviva Premiership play-off clash at Welford Road.

The suspension rules Tuilagi out of Tigers’ Premiership final appointment with Saracens on May 28 and England Saxons’ entire Churchill Cup campaign.

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