New Gloucester set-up suits Ryan and Redpath

Dean Ryan is Gloucester's new head coach. The 38-year-old former England No 8 takes control at Kingsholm after three years working with Nigel Melville, who resigned last month.

Dean Ryan is Gloucester's new head coach. The 38-year-old former England No 8 takes control at Kingsholm after three years working with Nigel Melville, who resigned last month.

Ryan's coaching team will include the former Scotland scrum-half Bryan Redpath, who has signed a two-year deal after retiring from playing with Sale at the end of last season. The former New South Wales and Canterbury rugby league fly-half Duncan McRae, 30, will act as a skills coach while continuing to play.

Ryan said: "Bryan's appointment is a great move for Gloucester. He has an outstanding rugby brain and is a superb motivator. He's an out-and-out winner and has one of the sharpest minds in the Premiership.

"We took counsel with a number of individuals, and Bryan Redpath is the right man for the job. His role as a leader and a captain from his professional playing career will allow him to take the next step as a coach.

"We have learned lessons from last season, and there was a need for an increase in the number of roles to make sure that we created the right environment for us to succeed. We know that we need to continually build on this structure and the playing staff, but there are only a limited number of time windows to influence recruitment.

"This structure is the start, and there are now plans for the next 12 months, two years and three years."

Badly affected by injuries last season, Gloucester failed to reach the Heineken Cup quarter-finals and finished sixth in the Premiership, missing a place in Europe's top-tier competition for next season.

"I said a few months back that if I was to go into coaching then I wanted it to be with an ambitious set-up," said Redpath. "From what I've spoken to Dean about and seen from the new structure, that is exactly the case here at Gloucester. I wanted to work in a professional environment.

"This is a hands-on role and there are exciting times ahead."