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Sale coach Byron McGuigan will join the England national team coaching staff as part of a job quota until the end of the season.
Former Scotland winger McGuigan, who is overseeing Sale’s defence, will focus on the contact zone and work with the back three on skills and tactics when he is in England.
McGuigan, along with Bath attacking coach Lee Blackett, was loaned out to England for their successful tour of Argentina and the United States earlier this year.
Both McGuigan and Blackett were now part of a reorganized England line-up, with Blackett taking on a full-time attacking role, Richard Wigglesworth shifting to defense and Joe El Abd working with the forwards.
England coach Steve Borthwick said: “Byron is a knowledgeable coach with a real passion for improving players.”
“He has an excellent understanding of the game, both as an international player and now as a coach. I look forward to the impact he will have during the fall.”
“It was a huge honor to be involved over the summer and I’m excited to be back contributing to the team,” McGuigan said.
“I am very grateful to Sally for supporting me in taking on this opportunity alongside my role at the club. It is a great opportunity to continue to develop as a coach while contributing to both teams.”
McGuigan retired as a player in 2023 after seven seasons and more than 100 appearances for Sale, only becoming defense coach in November.
Alex Sanderson, Sale’s director of rugby, said: “Byron is a coach who has been so recently taken out of the game that he is able to tap into the players’ emotions and understand what they are feeling.”
“He can inspire players because it has only been two years since he faced the coal himself.
“He inspires players to want to put their bodies on the line, but in addition to that, his playing intelligence, his rugby IQ, and his understanding of defensive shape, especially in the wider channels, is excellent.”
Born in Namibia and raised in South Africa, McGuigan won 10 caps for Scotland, for which he qualified through his mother, and scored three Test tries.
England face Australia on November 1 before Tests against Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina complete their autumn campaign.
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