English Premiership club Leicester as backs coach with interim boss John Wells installed permanently as head
coach.
Former Wallaby Pat Howard is returning to English Premiership club Leicester as backs coach as part of a management shake-up which sees interim boss John Wells installed permanently as head coach.
Another former Tigers player, ex-England international Richard Cockerill, is also rejoining the club, as assistant forwards coach.
Wells was appointed as interim coach after Dean Richards was sacked in February.
His appointment on a permanent basis follows the failure of Leicester's attempts to lure South African Nick Mallett away from Stade Francais.
Wells said he was delighted that the uncertainty over his future had been ended. "There has been a lot of too-ing and froing and speculation over the last three months, but I have been extremely pleased with the way that the team has performed.
"I've been at the same club for 23 years. I'm proud to have been associated with an organisation that has always aspired to be the very best."
Both Howard and Cockerill join the club from French side Montferrand. Cockerill will combine his duties with a playing role, while Howard returns purely in a coaching capacity. "It's an interesting position, and a good transition out of the playing side of things," said Howard who was Leicester's midfield general when they won three titles in three years upto 2001.
He admitted it had been a wrench to give up playing after a career in which he won 20 caps for Australia, as well as playing Super 12 for the ACT Brumbies. "It was a very difficult choice not to keep on playing, but this new role is a personal challenge for me.
"I questioned whether it was worth staying at Montferrand as a player for another season, but Leicester has a great infrastructure and an ability to do wonderful things."
Cockerill added: "I still feel I've got a bit of playing time left in me, but I will also assist the forward coaching and be the forwards coach for the development team, so hopefully I can help the younger players bridge the gap from the Academy into the first team.
"The club has always had a very proud tradition, and I feel strongly about that."
Martin Johnson, the former England skipper who captains the Tigers, was delighted to see Howard and Cockerill back at the club, which won back-to-back European Cups in 2001 and 2002 but is currently struggling in the bottom half of the English Premiership.
"Pat brings a wealth of experience to the backs, while Cockers will have picked up a valuable insight into forward play from his time in France, which I'm sure will be useful to our pack," Johnson said.
AFP - 2004.