Newcastle Red Bulls appoint Dan McFarland as head coach for Gallagher PREM Rugby 2026/27 season - 'Delighted to be coming back'
By Will Conroy
Updated 24/04/2026 at 10:49 GMT+1
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Dan McFarland will take over as Newcastle Red Bulls head coach next season, the Gallagher PREM club have confirmed.
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The Englishman will succeed Stephen Jones, who was promoted from an assistant position until the end of the campaign following the departure of Alan Dickens last month.
Calum McRae will be another new addition to the coaching team, returning to Kingston Park as defence coach, 12 years after his first spell with Newcastle came to an end.
Jones will remain at the club, reverting to his role as attack coach, while Micky Ward, Lee Dickson and Mark Laycock will also continue to be part of the coaching set-up.
As part of Newcastle’s confirmation of his upcoming arrival, McFarland said he is ”very honoured” to be joining the club, who currently sit at the foot of the PREM.
”The club and wider region has a fantastic rugby tradition which I am very respectful of, and keen to learn more about,” the 54-year-old said.
”I’m looking forward to working with all the players and support staff, and being heavily involved in one of the most exciting projects in world rugby at the moment.”
He continued: ”Newcastle Red Bulls are a club intent on success. The possibilities for the club are huge, but nothing happens in sport without hard work and quality processes being put in place.
”The excellent work done on recruitment has meant that there will be lots of new talent arriving in the North East to join the team.”
McFarland is currently the forwards coach of Japanese title contenders Kobelco Steelers, having been in the role since 2024.
”After a great experience out in Japan over the past couple of years I’m looking forward to getting stuck into this exciting new challenge,” he said.
McFarland was Ulster head coach between 2018 and 2024, following spells in the coaching set-ups of Glasgow Warriors and the Scotland national team.
During his playing career, McFarland represented Richmond, Stade Francais and Connacht.
McRae, meanwhile, will arrive at Newcastle once finishing his duties as head coach of Benetton.
The 46-year-old was the defence coach of the Italian outfit between 2022 and 2025 before taking charge this season.
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The Scot will be returning for a second spell at Kingston Park, having been Newcastle’s skills and attack coach from 2011 to 2014.
”I'm delighted to be coming back to the club where it all started for me as a coach, and at the start of an exciting new chapter with Red Bull,” he said.
”After my time in the URC with Edinburgh and Benetton Rugby it feels a great point to be coming back to the Gallagher PREM.
”The club's vision and ambition to compete at the top of the PREM and Europe is clear. I'm highly motivated to contribute to those objectives with a talented group of players and coaches.
”Having family in Newcastle and Teesside makes it even more special for me to be representing both them and the people of the North East again.”
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Following his first spell at the club, McRae spent three years as the coach for Scotland 7s, before enjoying five years as Edinburgh’s defence coach.
With Newcastle eight points adrift of ninth-place Harlequins in the PREM standings, it is likely McFarland and McRae will have the task of avoiding a fifth successive foot-of-the-table finish.
However, they will be helped by the club spending January signing a host of new players to bolster the squad for the new campaign.
Newcastle will look to close the gap on Harlequins on Friday night as they host Bristol Bears.
Watch and stream the Gallagher PREM, Autumn Nations Series and Premiership Women's Rugby live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
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