Steve Diamond appointed Edinburgh boss effective immediately

Steve Diamond has been appointed Edinburgh head coach until at least the end of the season. Diamond was on a three-man shortlist, also understood to feature former Wasps boss Lee Blackett and Blues head coach Leon MacDonald, to succeed Mike Blair.

The 55-year-old has been without a club since Worcester Warriors entered administration in September. Having formed a consortium which fell short of rescuing Worcester, Diamond is eager to return to coaching and is expected to be formally unveiled by Edinburgh on Friday.

The Scottish outfit slumped to a heavy home loss to URC leaders Leinster on Friday night, their eighth defeat in nine URC matches and another dent to their play-off hopes.

They have impressed in the Champions Cup, however, and travel to Premiership holders Leicester Tigers for a last-16 clash on 31 March.

Blair announced his decision to step down from his first head coach role last month, having felt the ‘all-consuming’ nature of the job was impacting his work and time on the field. The former Scotland captain is focused, in the short term, on becoming a ‘world-class attack coach’ and Diamond would like him to remain with Edinburgh in that capacity.

The former Sale Sharks supremo is keen to add Nick Easter, who he brought to Worcester Warriors, as defence specialist should he remain in the job long term.

Best known for his multiple stints at Sale as a player, coach and director of rugby, Diamond’s latter spell in Manchester ran for nearly eight years, yielding a Premiership Cup, the development of local talent and, with increased financial backing, the recruitment of world champion Springboks. Two years after his departure, Sale are vying with Saracens at the Premiership summit.

Meanwhile, Edinburgh are attempting to bring Diamond's former hooker, Ewan Ashman, north from Sale next season.

The Scotland hooker has two years remaining on his Sharks contract but Edinburgh are understood to be willing to significantly increase his current salary.

Ashman, who turns 23 next month, is hugely admired by Gregor Townsend and part of the national coach's wider Six Nations squad.

He has featured 14 times for Sale this season, starting their past three matches, and scored five tries.