Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

Steve Diamond on shortlist to replace Mike Blair at Edinburgh

By Jamie Lyall
Worcester Warriors Director of Rugby Steve Diamond during a press conference at Sixways Stadium, Worcester. Picture date: Friday September 23, 2022. (Photo by David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images)

Former Sale Sharks and Worcester Warriors director of rugby Steve Diamond is in contention to replace Mike Blair as Edinburgh head coach.

ADVERTISEMENT

The 55-year-old is on the club’s shortlist alongside former Wasps boss Lee Blackett, currently with Scarlets.

Diamond is a free agent after Warriors entered administration in September. He joined Worcester in November 2021, initially as a consultant, before succeeding Jonathan Thomas in a top coaching job two months later. He led Warriors to the Premiership Rugby Cup and recruited heavily over summer with the goal of propelling Worcester up the table before their financial demise.

Video Spacer

Video Spacer

The ex-hooker was a strong presence throughout the Warriors’ last stricken days, and formed a consortium with the goal of rescuing the club. His takeover bid was unsuccessful.

Now, Diamond is eyeing a return to coaching with Edinburgh, after Blair announced his intention to relinquish his position at the end of the season. It is understood Diamond would like to keep Blair as attack coach, though the former Scotland captain has yet to decide where his future lies, while hiring Nick Easter to oversee the defensive system. Diamond brought Easter to Sixways in the months before Worcester went bust.

He has also worked closely with Scottish Rugby’s director of rugby, Jim Mallinder, a former team-mate and coaching colleague at Sale, England Saxons and Northampton Saints, who will be involved the recruitment process.

Diamond is best known for his long stints at Sale, as player, coach, and director of rugby. His latter stint running the club’s rugby programme lasted nearly eight years, yielding a Premiership Cup and, and with increased financial investment, the recruitment of world champion Springboks and the early phases of Sale’s rise to where they are now, vying with Saracens at the Premiership summit.

ADVERTISEMENT

Blackett, meanwhile, was once the youngest head coach in the English Championship at 30, and brought instant success to Wasps when stepping up from assistant to director of rugby in 2020. Succeeding Dai Young, he led struggling Wasps to the Premiership final, where they lost to Exeter Chiefs.

Since the Coventry side entered administration, Blackett was appointed backs coach at Dwayne Peel’s Scarlets in November. Scarlets recently thrashed Edinburgh 42-14 in West Wales.

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Chasing The Sun | Series 1 Episode 1

Fresh Starts | Episode 2 | Sam Whitelock

Royal Navy Men v Royal Air Force Men | Full Match Replay

Royal Navy Women v Royal Air Force Women | Full Match Replay

Abbie Ward: A Bump in the Road

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 9

James Cook | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

New Zealand victorious in TENSE final | Cathay/HSBC Sevens Day Three Men's Highlights

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

FEATURE
FEATURE Sam Warburton: 'It surprises me how few people are prepared to put in the hard work' Sam Warburton: 'It surprises me how few people are prepared to put in the hard work'
Search