Leicester Tigers have brought in former England and Ireland coach Mike Ford as they bid to stave off Premiership relegation. The 53-year-old has been appointed as a senior coach at Welford Road, on an initial deal until the end of the season, to try and ensure the club do not drop out of the top flight for the first time.
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Ford, who was an international in rugby league, has had spells as defence coach with both the England and Ireland rugby union sides, while he has also enjoyed stints in charge of Saracens, Newcastle, Bath and French club Toulon. One of his most recent posts was a temporary spell with the German national team, who he almost guided to the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Speaking about the arrival of Ford, Tigers’ head coach Geordan Murphy told the club website: “I worked with him as a player when he was part of the coaching set-up with Ireland and he has a lot of experience at all levels of the game.
“He’s coming in for the rest of the season to add another experienced voice to the coaching group and has the full support of the coaches and backroom team.” The Tigers currently sit 10th in the Premiership with five matches remaining, including a crucial trip to bottom club Newcastle Falcons on April 12.
