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Deal agreed for Alex Codling to become the new Newcastle boss

(Photo by Alex Davidson/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Newcastle Falcons have moved swiftly to replace Dave Walder with the appointment of Alex Codling as the club’s new head coach. Codling, 49, has been coaching in France in Pro D2 since his brief spell as Eddie Jones’ assistant with England came to an end in 2021.

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The former lock, once capped by Clive Woodward in 2002, has helped Oyonnax to the top of the table as part of Joe El-Abd’s coaching staff. Oyonnax have been the standout team in France’s second tier, and they currently hold a 21-point lead with four rounds of the regular season to run.

Codling signed the deal with Newcastle on Tuesday and will start work with the Falcons at the end of this season. Walder stepped back from first-team duties in the middle of March and is currently on gardening leave.

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Mark Laycock was handed the reins on an interim basis and celebrated with a win in his first home game in charge, a 17-12 victory against Gloucester. But the Falcons’ attack coach will hand back control once Codling arrives at Kingston Park.

The much-travelled Codling has picked up a wealth of experience in his 15-plus years in coaching with jobs in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and France. This includes roles at all levels of the game – head coach at Ebbw Vale, Barking and, more recently, Ealing Trailfinders; and forwards coach at both Harlequins and England U20s.

A renowned lineout specialist, Codling then worked with the senior England team for the summer Tests against USA and Canada in June 2021. He announced he was to leave his contract with Oyonnax a year early some time ago, but it was thought he would remain in France and work in the Top 14.

However, having swapped a rugby-obsessive town for one mad about football, he can now look forward to a completely different cultural experience in the north-east of England.

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J
JW 47 minutes ago
'Razor's conservatism is in danger of halting New Zealand's progress'

Haha yeah I know, sorry I just cbf doing anything other than sprouting the garbage that comes in. You either follow the train of thought or don't most the time, that's why I like you, happy to not take it serious like, and reply regardless.

Haha more imaginary rational. You mean in 2018 and 19 he used 36 new players?

more = you're following in Saders footsteps (here I go again assuming you know what I'll mean haha)

imaginary = fictitious world cups (no WC in 2018)

by "months before" you mean 2018/19? = because you wrote 2018 i'm assuming that's because your brain was thinking about that year when he used most of those 36 players

36 new players = because it's absolutely impossible to use 36 new players in the handful of games you get, or "months", before a WC

Doesn't really sound like good coaching and reinforces other theories. Wouldn't spread that.

Doesn't really sound like good coaching = that is waay to many players no matter what way you spin it, or what period. Where did you even get the data for that from?

reinforces other theories = no need to go into them here but it definitely suggests a case of being lucky to win despite the fact (if true) imo

Wouldn't spread that = cheekyness about above point


So yeah, you can see why I don't try to elaberate my posts so everyone can understand and sadly theyre too succinct for some with a slightly different lingo or thought.

and two years of >85% win ratio on the trot - I’d love to see how he’d have down with better coaching.

the none TLDR version reply..

two years = but weren't you following the similar line of this article that Razor needs to open it up? Why would you think that when you're suggesting he's got another 3 or 4 years before he reaches that point in tenure when he should also be trying to hit the 85 mark?

>85% win ratio on the trot = WC years are short and provide easy opposition, you don't normally include them. 22 would be more relevant, and this year you had both other top teams at home, so you'd think that 85 number is overs, or 'above' average based on circumstances (85 is a really fabulous number however so going back to 80 would also still be great)

love to see how he’d have done with better coaching. = well it's exactly the opposite of above isn't it, it's operating at well over 70 for 4 (excl covid) of those 7 years instead of his 60%, before hitting the 80s mark.


You might also ask well how could that be possible when he's done so bloody well just to do what he's done? Well I'm not going to take him (or SA) down a beg or two, instead I'll give you the hint (because I'm over thinking how to type long versions of replys), the answer is in this article!


Can you think of any specific players that became instrumental to the team from those 36 new players? One's plucked out of nowhere so to speak? I know for the first two years after covid he switched up you're team and tactics after each game against NZ (for the second), I think winning both 1st games and losing both rematch's? You don't think he should ever have done that differently, not been so happy to give up a victory against the ABs?

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