Gloucester Rugby announce today that David Humphreys has decided to leave the
Club at the end of the June after six seasons as Director of Rugby. This follows the departure of Johann Ackermann as Head Coach in May.
David Humphreys to leave Gloucester Rugby
Humphreys said “It has been a huge honour to have played a small part in the
history of this great Club. I have loved every minute of my time here and have been
very fortunate to work with great coaches and support staff, and with great players.
Over that time, we have built the foundations for a successful Club, both on and off
the pitch, and last season’s 3rd place finish in the Premiership was a reflection of the
progress that has been made.
“However, following Johan Ackermann’s departure last month, I took some time to
review my own position at Gloucester and in light of many new challenges facing
professional rugby as a result of Covid-19, I felt it was the right time for me to move
on and a new Head Coach to come in and build on the work that has been done.
“It is always difficult to leave somewhere that has become home and I will always
be very grateful to everyone in the West Country for the very warm welcome they
gave to both me and my family. In particular, a huge personal thanks to Martin St
Quinton for his friendship and encouragement throughout my time at Gloucester,
and for his support in building a Gloucester playing squad to be a competitive force
in the Premiership.
“The Gallagher Premiership is a wonderful competition and I will miss the excitement
building up to every game at Kingsholm. When I left Ulster I didn’t think there were
many places to rival the atmosphere at the Kingspan stadium, but from beating Sale
in my first game at Kingsholm, I realised what a special place it is to play rugby
when you’re wearing a Cherry & White shirt. This is entirely due to the incredible Gloucester supporters and I thank you all for your support over the last few seasons.
“Before leaving at the end of the month, I will continue to work closely with Martin,
Lance Bradley, and the senior management team, to support the recruitment of a
new Head Coach and to help ensure an easy transition back into training for the
playing squad and staff.”
New Head Coach search begins
Lance Bradley, Chief Executive Officer, added “David has made a tremendous
contribution to Gloucester Rugby over the last six years. So much of what he does
goes on behind the scenes, but those of us who have had the pleasure of working
with him know just how much he’s contributed. We all wish him every success in
whatever he decides to do next.
“We are facing a time of unprecedented change in professional rugby in this country
and across the world. At Gloucester Rugby we are determined to be at the forefront
of anticipating those changes and making sure we are in the best position to face
the new challenges ahead. David has been a key player over the last six years, but
we will use his departure to move into an exciting new era.”
The search for a new Head Coach will now be led by Lance Bradley. Gloucester expect to announce an appointment and the new coaching structure before the end of June. Rumours that Rob Howley is in the frame have been growing, whilst Dai Young remains available and is looking for a hands-on Head Coach role.
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