Hall back at Bath in Callard's coaching ensemble

Bath have reappointed John Hall to their coaching staff, more than three years after deciding they did not need him. The former England flanker is back at the Recreation Ground in a forwards-coaching capacity, linking up with the new head coach, Jon Callard.

Bath have reappointed John Hall to their coaching staff, more than three years after deciding they did not need him. The former England flanker is back at the Recreation Ground in a forwards-coaching capacity, linking up with the new head coach, Jon Callard.

The 38-year-old Hall became Bath's first full-time director of rugby in 1996 but did not last the full campaign as poor results led to his downfall.

Hall, who won 21 England caps and led Bath to a league and cup double in 1994, was deemed surplus to requirements and a new coaching staff of Andy Robinson, Nigel Redman and Clive Woodward took over.

Callard has replaced Robinson, the new England head coach, as Bath's head coach and will head a four-strong coaching team. The scrummaging expert John Moore will work with Hall on the forwards, while Mark Spivey is retained as the fitness coach.

The Galwegians coach, John Kingston, has returned to his former club Richmond, where he was once the director of rugby, to sign the prop Dan McFarland, the scrum-half Bryan Shelbourne and the back-row forwards Mike Swift and Jon Barfoot, for his new club, situated in the west of Ireland.

The Australian full-back Matthew Burke has been ruled out of the remainder of this year's Tri-Nations series after being ordered to have surgery on his injured ankle. Burke has not played for the Wallabies since the 1999 World Cup final victory over France but was hopeful of making a comeback later this month.

New Zealand have announced two changes to their team for this weekend's Tri-Nations meeting with Australia in Wellington. Alama Ieremia returns to centre in place of Mark Robinson to resume his partnership with Pita Alatini, while the lock Norm Maxwell comes in for Troy Flavell.