Sir Ian McGeechan lands consultant director of rugby role at Championship club

Sir Ian McGeechan has been appointed consultant director of rugby by Doncaster Knights.

Sir Ian McGeechan is joining Doncaster Knights. (Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA)

The former Scotland and British and Irish Lions great is being brought in to mentor head coach Joe Ford at the English Championship club.

Sir Ian, 77, has long been a champion of rugby in Yorkshire having been born in Leeds, to a Glaswegian father, and brought up in the county before going on to play for Headingley. He went on to represent Scotland 32 times and win eight Test caps for the Lions before coaching both with great success, including the 1990 Five Nations Grand Slam triumph with the former and a Test series victory in South Africa with the latter. He was knighted in 2010 for services to rugby.

Steve Lloyd, president of the Doncaster Knights, said: “After a relationship spanning a number of years, during which we have both fought, with others, for the betterment of Championship rugby, together with our mutual passion for Yorkshire rugby, Ian, or Geech to all who know him, very willingly agreed to come and give us a hand creating the future at Castle Park.

“We continue to be focused on development at Doncaster Knights, whether that be players, coaches or the club itself and I cannot think of a better mentor for head coach Joe Ford or a better fount of knowledge for the whole team and the club’s development generally.”

Knights, who are celebrating their 150th anniversary, currently lie second in the Championship, behind leaders Ealing Trailfinders.