North East | Steve Diamond leaves role at Newcastle Red Bulls

It’s all change for Newcastle Red Bulls at the moment.

They have parted company with their director of rugby, Steve Diamond, after just one game of the new Premiership season.

Author | Sophie T

The rebranded club were beaten 39-17 at home by Saracens in their opening fixture, and Diamond’s exit follows swiftly on from that defeat.

Opening night at Kingston Park

Neil McIlroy will join on 1 November as sporting general manager, a newly created position overseeing all rugby operations. Alan Dickens has been appointed head coach and will report directly to McIlroy, while Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend is to act as a part-time strategic adviser.

A closer look at the club’s recent history

Diamond, who arrived at Kingston Park in January 2024, leaves after a testing spell in charge. Newcastle managed only two wins from 25 league matches under his tenure, with the club marooned at the foot of the table.

Former owner Semore Kurdi put the club up for sale last November before Red Bull finalised their takeover in August. A number of new players have since arrived, but this marks the most striking move yet from the new regime.

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Diamond, who previously held senior roles with Sale Sharks and Worcester Warriors, had been tasked with steadying Newcastle as they battled to keep pace financially with the rest of the Premiership.

Pre match fireworks at Kingston Park

The club operated prudently under the salary cap and regularly lost homegrown players to rivals. At times, there were fears Newcastle might follow Worcester, Wasps and London Irish into administration, though Diamond, who was at Sixways when Worcester folded, consistently maintained that would not happen.

Immediate reaction and next steps

In a statement, the club thanked the 56-year-old for his “passion, contribution and guidance”, but confirmed his departure forms part of a broader off-field restructure.

📰 Club Announcement

Today, Steve Diamond, Director of Rugby, is stepping down from his position.

We would like to thank Steve for his passion, contribution, and guidance which have been instrumental in supporting the club throughout this important transition. pic.twitter.com/Fq7EzFVSlB

— Newcastle Red Bulls (@NCL_RedBulls) October 1, 2025

Neil McIlroy will arrive in November having held comparable roles with Catalans Dragons in rugby league and Clermont Auvergne in the French Top 14. John Fletcher is due to join on 1 December as academy and pathways director after working with Scottish Rugby, while former Scotland captain Jonny Petrie will take up the position of managing director on Monday, having previously held executive roles with Edinburgh and Ulster.

Speculation before the season suggested Newcastle were in discussions with Gregor Townsend over the director of rugby role. While the Scotland coach signed a new contract through to the 2027 World Cup, he will now link up with the Red Bulls as a part-time strategic adviser.