Bryan Redpath: Yorkshire Carnegie appoint ex-Sale coach

Bryan Redpath won two European Challenge Cups with Sale Sharks as a player

Championship side Yorkshire Carnegie have appointed former Scotland captain Bryan Redpath as their new head coach.

The 43-year-old has signed a two-year contract after leaving his position as head coach of Sale Sharks on Thursday.

Gary Mercer was appointed Yorkshire head coach in the summer but left the club in November after a bad start and his replacement Tommy McGee departed by mutual consent last week.

Redpath said he was excited about "the massive opportunity" at Carnegie.

Former British and Irish Lions coach Sir Ian McGeechan, who is the club's executive president, was put in temporary charge of the side following McGee's exit and led them to a 15-8 victory over Bedford Blues on Sunday.

Redpath, who won 60 caps for Scotland, first joined Sale in 2000 and helped the club win the the European Challenge Cup in 2002 and 2005.

After ending his playing career he moved to Gloucester as backs coach, and was promoted to head coach four years later.

He briefly worked under McGeechan, who had a short stint in an advisor capacity at the Cherry and Whites.

Redpath said: "I am excited about the massive opportunity and challenge we have here at Yorkshire Carnegie. There is a clear vision for what the club wants to do over the next few years and I want to be part of that project.

"The Championship is a hard division to get out of but this group of players has tremendous potential and the ability to ultimately get us back into the Premiership."

Carnegie, relegated from the top division in 2011, are currently sixth in the second tier.