Rugby:Newcastle have confirmed that Dean Richards will take over as the club's new director of rugby when his 'Bloodgate' suspension expires in August.
The former Leicester and Harlequins boss revealed he had received a number of offers from Premiership clubs but he was convinced by the ambition of Falcons owner Semore Kurdi.
Richards has committed to joining Newcastle even if the club, who are currently bottom of the Premiership, are relegated.
“I am delighted to get the opportunity to join Newcastle Falcons,” Richards told the club’s website.
“Whilst there was interest from other clubs, there are two reasons why I chose the Falcons - the supporters and Semore Kurdi’s ambition for the club. I met up with Semore and his vision made my mind up.”
Richards’s ban expires on August 19th and he will then take over from Gary Gold, who was appointed on a short-term deal by the Falcons in January.
The 48-year-old guided Leicester to four Premiership titles and two Heineken Cup crowns before taking Harlequins from the Championship into the last eight in Europe.
The ‘Bloodgate’ scandal erupted in 2009 after Harlequins wing Tom Williams used a fake blood capsule to feign injury in their 6-5 Heineken Cup quarter-final defeat to Leinster.
Richards is serving a three-year ban for his role in the scandal which rocked rugby.
“The first year was the most difficult, in many ways,” admitted Richards. “In other ways perhaps it wasn’t, though. Because the job is basically 24/7, you tend to neglect your family growing up.
“It is only in the past three years that I have spent the amount of time I have wanted to with my wife and kids, and just watching the children playing rugby has been fantastic.
“In the last 12 months I have grown more and more frustrated. I watch the games every week and, like any coach, I am thinking ‘why are they doing that?’
“Every coach’s opinion is probably different from the next, but it has been frustrating and I want to get back in. I am raring to go, and I just can’t wait.”
Richards was not fazed by the prospect of taking over a side in the Championship, should Newcastle lose their battle against relegation. The Falcons are currently eight points adrift of Wasps at the bottom of the table
