Parish pips Australian rivals to Salford post

(Getty)

Matt Parish, not in the running until this week, has come up on the rails to win the chance to coach Salford. The former Balmain centre, currently part of the New South Wales coaching staff, has been named as Shaun McRae's successor at the City Reds.

A delegation from the club interviewed other candidates in Australia, including Peter Gentle, David Penna and Steve Georgallis, but Parish was the man who impressed. The 42-year-old former North Queensland assistant will arrive next month, after his State of Origin commitments are over.

"I'm tremendously excited to be joining Salford at this important stage in their history and I can't wait to get over," he said. "I'm privileged to have been given the task of leading us into the new stadium."

Salford have drifted since McRae went on sick leave in April and later negotiated a severance deal.

"We felt that this guy had something on top of everyone else," said Salford's chairman, John Wilkinson.

Leeds' Jamie Peacock will captain England against the Exiles next Friday. Also called up are David Fa'alogo, Glen Morrison and Josh Perry.