McFarland pledges attacking rugby as he rebuilds Newcastle with 23 new signings

Dan McFarland has set honest expectations for his first season at Newcastle Red Bulls, acknowledging that nobody yet knows what a squad rebuilt almost from scratch can achieve in the Gallagher Premiership — but insisting the rugby will be anything but dull.

McFarland arrived in the North East this summer after winning the Japanese Top League title with Kobelco Steelers, inheriting a club that has won only four Premiership matches across the past three seasons. With 23 new signings added to the roster, he has likened the task to launching a new franchise.

“It is basically a start-up project, isn’t it? When the game first went professional, that was a start-up project. So it’s awesome. It’s a huge, huge challenge in the sport that relies on cohesion to pull together so many new people,” McFarland said.

The Irishman drew a comparison with Super Rugby side Moana Pasifika, one of the few modern examples of a team assembled at similar speed, and was candid about the uncertainty surrounding the club’s ceiling this term.

“What are we capable of achieving in terms of number of wins in the league, I don’t know. I don’t think anybody knows. But for sure as hell we’re gonna find out,” he added.

McFarland stressed that building cohesion quickly is the primary concern, and that early simplicity in game-plan should not be mistaken for a lack of ambition in how his side plays.

“That doesn’t mean that the rugby looks boring. Far, far from it, but it does mean that you have to start with the basics and get those right so that you can build a relationship. Foundational level.”

The coaching challenge, he acknowledged, is resisting the temptation to over-complicate things before the building blocks are in place — a discipline he believes will ultimately allow Newcastle to express themselves more freely as the season progresses.

“The bottom line is that in the four years, Newcastle’s not won many games. It’s a very ambitious group of young men but we don’t know what we can achieve,” McFarland said.

With the Premiership season approaching, Newcastle supporters will be hoping that a fresh start under an experienced coach, backed by significant squad investment, can finally translate into consistent results at Kingston Park.