Tuesday 17 March 2015 08:24, UK
Newcastle Falcons are looking to a more successful future in the Aviva Premiership and have re-signed director of rugby Dean Richards on a new three-year contract.
The 51-year-old joined the Falcons in 2012 and led the team to promotion in his first season.
The re-signing is a welcome piece of good news for the Falcons who have had a lacklustre start to the season.
They currently 11th in the Aviva Premiership table, with only London Welsh, who have picked up just one point all season, below them.
Life in the top flight is still new for Newcastle, however, and the club is condient Richards deserves the chance to make the most of an extended stay at Kingston Park with his side already securing more points and tries than the whole of last season.
"I'm delighted to have agreed this extension at the club," Richards said.
"We are building a strong and sustainable club here at Newcastle and I'm particularly pleased at how the players, coaching staff and off-field staff have bought into our vision.
"We have come a fair way over the past three years but there is still a great deal of work to do before we start to realise our potential.
“However I am confident that the club is in good shape and we will really start to see the benefits of a lot of good work over the next few seasons.
"I have really enjoyed my time in the north east so far, so agreeing to stay and continue living in the region was an easy decision.
Richards was formerly a coach of Harlequins but left in August 2009 over the 'Bloodgate' incident in the Heineken Cup match against Leinster, where wing Tom Williams came off the field with a blood injury, faked with a capsule, to facilitate a tactical substitution.
