Richards Rugby Return at Falcons

Former Harlequins boss Dean Richards is set to be appointed as the director of rugby of Newcastle Falcons for next season, BBC Sport reports.

The club is expected to make a formal announcement at the end of the week.

Former England forward Richards was banned for three years, following his involvement in the Bloodgate scandal when he was in charge of Harlequins.

His suspension ends in mid-August, when he is expected to take over from current Newcastle boss Gary Gold.

Gold took charge at Kingston Park on a six-month contract from Alan Tait in January but is expected to return to his native South Africa at the end of the season.

A move to Newcastle would see Richards team up with his former Leicester colleague John Wells.

The Falcons are currently bottom of the Premiership, eight points adrift of safety.

Richards, who won 48 caps for England cut his teeth in coaching at Leicester, winning four Premiership titles and two Heineken Cups at the club where he spent 15 years as a player.

He took charge at Harlequins in 2005 when they were in the second tier and led them straight back into the Premiership.

His four-year tenure ended in 2009 when he was implicated over a fake blood injury to Quins player Tom Williams during a Heineken Cup defeat to Leinster.

He also spent a season at French club Grenoble.

More recently, he has worked as an adviser with Worcester Warriors.

Former Worcester coach Mike Ruddock, who oversaw Wales to the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2005, told the BBC that he supports Richards' return to the sport.

"It's pretty simple as far as I'm concerned," Ruddock told 5 live Sport. "Dean has put his hand up and he knows he's done wrong.

"He's been banned for three years and he's served his time.

"As that's the case and, as he's coming back into the game, then he should be allowed to put that behind him and get on with coaching."

Gold Appointed Falcons Rugby Director

Newcastle Falcons have announced head coach Alan Tait is "taking a break" from rugby and have appointed Gary Gold as director of rugby.

Tait, who took over from Steve Bates in May 2010, has won only six of 36 Premiership games, while the Falcons are bottom of the Premiership.

Gold, who has appointed ex-England defence coach Mike Ford, will be in charge for the rest of the season.

Paul Moriarty will oversee Saturday's Challenge Cup visit of Petrarca.

Moriarty, who arrived at the club from Ospreys in the summer of 2010 to work with former Widnes team-mate Tait, will remain at Kingston Park to work with the forwards.

Tait's leave of absence comes after Saturday's 16-10 defeat by Exeter left the Falcons nine points adrift of safety and he admitted he would be considering his position.

"We haven't performed," the ex-Scotland defence coach told BBC Newcastle.

"I'm the head coach and I have to take responsibility and that's what I will be doing over the next few days.

"We have to face up to reality and we have just had a meeting with the players and coaches about where we are."

Meanwhile, having agreed a contract until the end of the current season, Gold is relishing the prospect of maintaining a north east influence at rugby union's top table.

"This is an exciting challenge and I am delighted to have the opportunity to work in the Premiership," said Gold.

"Newcastle Falcons is a big club with big ambitions and an owner who is very determined so anything is possible.

"I know a lot about the players and the traditions of the club so I am really looking forward to the challenge of keeping top-flight rugby in the North East."

In addition to working with the Springboks, Gold has Premiership experience as head coach and assistant at London Irish, as well as coaching Western Province in the southern hemisphere Super 14 competition.

Tait Expects Swoop at Falcons

Newcastle Falcons head coach Alan Tait has admitted his future may be in question following Saturday's 16-10 Premiership defeat by Exeter Chiefs.

Falcons are now nine points adrift of Wasps with only two wins in 13 games, and extended their run of consecutive league losses to three games.

"We haven't performed," the ex-Scotland defence coach told BBC Newcastle.

"I'm the head coach and I have to take responsibility and that's what I will be doing over the next few days."

Tait added: "We have to face up to reality and we have just had a meeting with the players and coaches about where we are."

Since taking over on an interim basis following Steve Bates' exit in May 2010, Tait has won six of 36 Premiership matches in charge, with 28 defeats.

Cup competitions have proved slightly more fruitful for the former dual-code Great Britain player.

Last season the club reached the LV= Cup final before losing to Gloucester at Franklin's Gardens, and recorded a home success against Top 14 big spenders Toulon in this season's Amlin Challenge Cup pool stage.

Meanwhile the club's precarious league position, even with nine Premiership games remaining, will have alerted Falcons' top flight rivals to the talent at Kingston Park.

Fly-half Jimmy Gopperth is expected to attract the most interest, with the prolific former Blues half-back out of contract in the summer.

"Other clubs are going to be interested in a lot of our players, and this is a time of year when they sign [pre-contract deals], when they leave," Tait added.

"All I can ask is the guys to play to the final whistle in May for this club, and if they sign for another club I'll shake their hand and wish them all the best.

"I was a player and you've got to look after yourself and your families and there are some good players here out of contract that might get snapped up.

"I've got to sit with the owners, and look at the all the options of what might happen at the end of the season, and start to plan what we will do."