Townsend's Newcastle influence a 'light touch'

Gregor Townsend has been head coach of Scotland since 2017

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend only has a "light touch" in his new consultancy role with Newcastle Red Bulls.

Last month, Townsend agreed a 30-day a year role with the Prem club as part of Red Bulls' global rugby strategy.

But new managing director Jonny Petrie insists that working with Newcastle will not get in the way of Townsend's international commitments.

"It's a really light touch for Gregor," former Scotland international Petrie told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"We're very respectful and mindful of his position with Scottish Rugby and as Scotland coach, particularly at this time of year."

Townsend's Scotland round off their November internationals against Tonga at Murrayfield on Sunday (13:40 GMT).

With Red Bull having completed their takeover of Newcastle in August, Townsend's new position was one of a series of changes off the field weeks after their arrival.

Director of rugby Steve Diamond left Kingston Park, while Petrie arrived as managing director with Neil McIlroy subsequently becoming the new sporting general manager of the north east club.

There has been much talk about Townsend eventually coming in as director of rugby, but Petrie insists that the 52-year has no say in Newcastle's on-field affairs.

"Gregor will be working in the background, looking at our performance structures and our structures, not involved in the club on a day-to-day basis," said Petrie.

"He's got a day job up in Scotland and we're incredibly sensitive to that.

"While it's light touch operation in the background, he'll be working very closely with me and Neil McIlroy, who is there on the ground to drive it forward."

Steve Diamond was at Newcastle from January 2024 until October this year

The decision and timing to remove director of rugby Diamond was questioned as the former Sale Sharks and Worcester Warriors boss left Kingston Park after just one game in the Prem this season.

Diamond had led the club through challenging times from when he arrived in January 2024 with them struggling financially and unable to compete with the other top-flight clubs.

With the Red Bull takeover completed just a few weeks before the new season began, he was forced to conduct a rapid global recruitment plan to build up the squad.

In his place, Alan Dickens was promoted to head coach, but the Red Bulls are still to win a game in the Prem this season.

Petrie says it is part of the club wanting to change strategy.

"In coming in, you look at what you feel you need from a coaching structure going forward," he said.

"While we're very appreciative of what Steve did, we felt that we needed to move in a different direction.

"We felt strongly that was the right thing to do and put in place a coaching structure that can help take us forward.

"That was always going to take a bit of time to bed in at this point of the season but it's been really good for us over the last few weeks to further augment that with bringing in a guy like Stephen Jones as attack coach.

"I appreciate that results have been tricky but it's been really encouraging to see how the team has started to bond and grow together.

"We'll continue to see that improve with the players and coaches we've brought in and we'll look forward to that developing this season and into next season as well."

Newcastle have won only two of their last 44 Prem games stretching back to March 2023

'Chance to disrupt the market'

The arrival of Red Bull in rugby union marks a sea change in ownership in the domestic game, moving away from more traditional models of millionaire benefactors offering huge financial support.

Petrie knows that Newcastle are under the spotlight, with everyone in rugby union fascinated to see how the project goes.

The target is to be successful in both Prem Rugby and European competition, as Red Bull apply their expertise garnered from working in sports like Formula 1, football and ice hockey for many years.

Petrie knows that will take time as Newcastle recover from years of struggle having finished bottom in England for each of the past three seasons. But there is excitement about what is possible.

"We want to innovate in the way we do things," said Petrie.

"Yes, that's about investment and that will happen but there are lots of different ways you can approach that.

"Rugby has a very particular ownership model and Red Bull coming in is a very different thing.

"People are waiting and watching to see what we do and that's a really good and interesting place for us to be.

"We have a brilliant opportunity to drive the game forward in England and in Europe and for people to stand up and take notice of what's happening here in Newcastle.

"We want to take advantage of that in every way we can. It's a brilliant opportunity to do rugby in a slightly different way.

"This is a real opportunity to disrupt that market and really push the game forward here in the city and in the north east."