Townsend takes on Red Bull role - but where do Newcastle fit in?

Scotland caput coach Gregor Townsend is group to counsel Newcastle connected strategy and accuracy aft taking connected a part-time domiciled pinch Red Bull.

The 52-year-old signed an hold past period that will support him pinch Scotland until nan extremity of nan 2027 World Cup successful Australia.

He will walk 30 days a twelvemonth moving connected Red Bull's world rugby strategy successful a non-executive position. Newcastle are nan only rugby nine successful their portfolio.

Having been successful complaint of Scotland since 2017, Townsend was linked pinch a move to Newcastle arsenic head of rugby anterior to agreeing his statement successful September.

The Red Bull statement was agreed astatine nan aforesaid clip arsenic his Scotland woody and has nan backing of his Murrayfield bosses.

Townsend's 30 days will each beryllium extracurricular of each world windows truthful nan national are assured his attraction will not beryllium blurred by nan further role.

Furthermore, safeguards are successful spot to guarantee location is nary conflict of liking pinch nan activity Townsend does pinch Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors.

A Scottish Rugby spokesperson said nan move had happened "with Scottish Rugby's afloat knowledge and support".

"This is simply a awesome opportunity for Gregor pinch 1 of nan biggest sporting organisations successful nan world," they added.

"He will beryllium participating successful high-level strategical conversations pinch a powerhouse successful athletics and we spot that arsenic being beneficial to Scottish Rugby going forward.

"Gregor remains afloat committed to his domiciled arsenic Scotland caput coach and we spot this caller domiciled moving alongside that well."

Newcastle are nan first rugby national nine to go portion of nan Red Bull stable.

The Austria-based institution already has important interests successful football, centrifugal racing and wintertime sports.

Newcastle vanished 10th successful past season's Premiership and opened nan caller run pinch a location conclusion by Saracens.

At nan aforesaid clip arsenic nan Townsend news emerged, it was announced that they person parted institution pinch head of rugby Steve Diamond.

Scottish Rugby's communications section is astatine pains to constituent retired that Townsend's woody connected rugby strategy is pinch Red Bull, nan world brand, alternatively than pinch Newcastle Red Bulls, nan 1 rugby nine that nan world marque really owns.

Maybe it was a fearfulness of failing foul of conflict of liking rules, but location was a adjacent magnitude of dancing connected nan caput of a pin from immoderate astatine Murrayfield.

If Townsend has nary engagement pinch Red Bull's rugby squad successful nan Premiership, who, exactly, is he advising connected rugby strategy, accuracy and culture?

Perhaps these things are wholly unconnected but Wednesday brought further news from Newcastle Red Bulls.

It's already been termed by immoderate fans arsenic a Scottish takeover. If Townsend is not advising nan rugby club, these caller additions must beryllium a bid of coincidences.

There is simply a dream - expressed softly wrong Murrayfield - that connections pinch a elephantine organisation specified arsenic Red Bull will person benefits not conscionable for Townsend and his hunger for knowledge, but besides for nan SRU.

The SRU has nary money to create a much-needed 3rd master squad to beryllium alongside Glasgow and Edinburgh. They request to get much games into their younger players and they person constricted scope to do it.

There is nary business nexus betwixt nan SRU and nan Red Bulls, but if underplayed young Scots tin beryllium loaned retired to this eager caller nine and fixed much crippled clip than they mightiness get astatine home, that could thief their development.

No chat of this benignant has taken place, and possibly nary will, but Townsend now having a ft successful nan Red Bull world could beryllium of usage down nan statement - to him and to nan SRU successful general.

A root adjacent to Murrayfield said that if a narration pinch Red Bull blossomed to nan constituent that their rugby squad could go a benignant of 3rd outlet for Scottish players past nan SRU would "up for that conversation".