Featherstone Rovers have appointed Sean Long as the club's new head coach. Long, one of the most talented players of his time, will take on his first head coaching role with the Championship club ahead of the 2023 season.
Long has been coaching for over a decade, taking on coaching roles at Salford, St Helens and Leeds Rhinos, as well as with Samoa, France and Harlequins RU. But he will now make his first venture into the world of being a head coach, replacing Brian McDermott.
Featherstone were unsuccessful in their attempts to earn promotion to Super League this year but will go again next season, with Toulouse Olympique likely to be their biggest competition next season.
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“Sean brings a wealth of experience from a glittering playing career and more than ten years of experience as an assistant working with some of the best coaches in the game," chairman Mark Campbell said. "His name is synonymous with Super League where we hope Sean can take us in 2023 with a style of play that is synonymous with the club’s DNA.”
Long returned to rugby league with Leeds in 2021 and was part of the coaching staff that guided them to the Grand Final last month. “It feels really good," he said. "I’m really honoured, I had a spell with the club in 2013, I really enjoyed my time there then, the players and staff are great and I’ve kept in touch with a lot of them. I can’t wait to get involved and to get back.”
Long will take up the role formally following his involvement in the World Cup. He is part of the coaching staff with the French national team, acting as an assistant to Laurent Frayssinous and Trent Robinson. Chev Walker is expected to replace Long at the Rhinos.
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