Neil Back and Andy Key agree new Leeds coaching deals

Leeds Carnegie Head Coach Neil Back and Director of Rugby Andy Key have agreed new one-year extensions with the club that will keep them at Headingley Carnegie at least until the end of next season.

The coaching team are now in their third season at Carnegie having moved from Leicester Tigers in 2008. In their first season they steered the club to promotion from National Division One and then last season helped establish the club as a force in the Premiership with a tenth-place finish.

“Andy and Neil have done an outstanding job since their arrival at the club,” said Chief Executive Gary Hetherington. “They have created a work ethic within the squad that is second to none and set out a long term vision to make Leeds Carnegie a major force, not just in English rugby but also in Europe.

“Our challenge as an organization is now to grow our income streams to enable Neil and Andy to continue to develop the club and to take us to where we all want to be.”

Ahead of this Saturday’s trip to Kingsholm to play Gloucester, Neil Back said: “I am pleased to have agreed a new contract. Andy and I have a long term vision for the club and we know it will be challenging.

“When we first arrived here the club needed to move forward if it wanted to be taken seriously. Having initially signed a three year contract, our goal in year one was non-negotiable, we had to secure promotion. In Year Two, we also knew there was no margin for excuses and we retained our place in the Premiership.

“This year we want to build on the achievements of last season and then we believe the club can really begin to flourish.”