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Newcastle statement: Appointment of Alex Codling as new head coach
By Liam Heagney
Newcastle have confirmed last Wednesday’s RugbyPass exclusive that ex-England lock Alex Codling will succeed Dave Walder as their new head coach. Last week’s report read: “Codling signed the deal with Newcastle on Tuesday and will start work with the Falcons at the end of this season. Walder stepped back from first-team duties in the middle of March and is currently on gardening leave.”
This development has now been made official, a Tuesday morning club statement reading: “Alex Codling will become Newcastle Falcons’ head coach in the summer, with the former England lock insisting worth ethic and pace are at the heart of his philosophy.
“The vastly experienced Londoner is currently forwards coach at runaway leaders Oyonnax in France’s Pro D2, with the 49-year-old’s previous roles including forwards coach at Harlequins, head coach at Ealing Trailfinders and assistant coach to the English national team for their 2021 June internationals.
“Having had a successful playing career at the top level including playing for the likes of Harlequins, Saracens and Montpellier, Codling won his England cap against Argentina in 2002 before embarking on his coaching journey.”
Codling said: “I’m very excited to be able to make a contribution to the next chapter in Newcastle’s history. There is a lot of exciting talent in the squad, and our job as a coaching staff is to help the players in every way we can to continue to develop and give them real clarity on how we want to play.
“First and foremost with any team, it is founded on hard work and team spirit. I watched Newcastle’s last game against Gloucester a couple of weeks ago on TV, in which they claimed a victory despite playing with 14 men for over an hour. The way they fought against adversity was incredible and the atmosphere at the ground that night looked fantastic.
"I have seen first-hand as both a player and coach the huge passion the supporters have for the club, and the difference they can make.
“As a coach, it is about testing yourself in different environments and constantly looking at ways in which you can improve every day. I will take a lot from my time working in France and I can't wait to start working with the Falcons’ staff and players.
"In the meantime, I want to continue to do everything I can to help Oyonnax achieve their dream as the season draws to an exciting conclusion with a home semi-final on the horizon.”
Newcastle chairman of rugby Matt Thompson added: “We are delighted to welcome Alex to the Falcons family. We are going through a significant period of change here at Kingston Park and we are very excited about the future of the club and what we can all achieve together.
“We want to play an exciting brand of rugby on the pitch and continue to create a platform for rugby talent in the North of England. We continue to have some amazing support from our fans, sponsors and employees, and we are incredibly grateful for that. We are looking forward to what comes next.”
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Latest Comments
Haha yeah I know, sorry I just cbf doing anything other than sprouting the garbage that comes in. You either follow the train of thought or don't most the time, that's why I like you, happy to not take it serious like, and reply regardless.
more = you're following in Saders footsteps (here I go again assuming you know what I'll mean haha)
imaginary = fictitious world cups (no WC in 2018)
by "months before" you mean 2018/19? = because you wrote 2018 i'm assuming that's because your brain was thinking about that year when he used most of those 36 players
36 new players = because it's absolutely impossible to use 36 new players in the handful of games you get, or "months", before a WC
Doesn't really sound like good coaching = that is waay to many players no matter what way you spin it, or what period. Where did you even get the data for that from?
reinforces other theories = no need to go into them here but it definitely suggests a case of being lucky to win despite the fact (if true) imo
Wouldn't spread that = cheekyness about above point
So yeah, you can see why I don't try to elaberate my posts so everyone can understand and sadly theyre too succinct for some with a slightly different lingo or thought.
the none TLDR version reply..
two years = but weren't you following the similar line of this article that Razor needs to open it up? Why would you think that when you're suggesting he's got another 3 or 4 years before he reaches that point in tenure when he should also be trying to hit the 85 mark?
>85% win ratio on the trot = WC years are short and provide easy opposition, you don't normally include them. 22 would be more relevant, and this year you had both other top teams at home, so you'd think that 85 number is overs, or 'above' average based on circumstances (85 is a really fabulous number however so going back to 80 would also still be great)
love to see how he’d have done with better coaching. = well it's exactly the opposite of above isn't it, it's operating at well over 70 for 4 (excl covid) of those 7 years instead of his 60%, before hitting the 80s mark.
You might also ask well how could that be possible when he's done so bloody well just to do what he's done? Well I'm not going to take him (or SA) down a beg or two, instead I'll give you the hint (because I'm over thinking how to type long versions of replys), the answer is in this article!
Can you think of any specific players that became instrumental to the team from those 36 new players? One's plucked out of nowhere so to speak? I know for the first two years after covid he switched up you're team and tactics after each game against NZ (for the second), I think winning both 1st games and losing both rematch's? You don't think he should ever have done that differently, not been so happy to give up a victory against the ABs?
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