Leicester Tigers appoint Dan McKellar as head coach

McKellar will join Tigers from Rugby Australia where he has been the Wallabies Senior Assistant Coach since 2021 and was Head Coach of Super Rugby side the ACT Brumbies from 2018 - 2022.

During his five-year tenure as Head Coach with the Brumbies, he guided the club to the inaugural Super Rugby AU competition in 2020 and were runners' up in 2021, as well as semi-finalists in 2019 and 2022.

Prior to taking up the Head Coach role in the ACT, McKellar was Assistant Coach at the Brumbies from 2014-17.

His previous coaching roles were Forwards Coach at Japanese club NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes (2013), Head Coach of the University of Canberra Vikings (2014) in the Australian National Rugby Championship, Head Coach of the Tuggeranong Vikings in Canberra (2011-12) and Head Coach of Souths Rugby Club in Brisbane (2008-10).

Before moving into coaching, McKellar made more than 150 senior appearances as a loosehead prop for Souths Rugby Club and spent two seasons in the Queensland Reds squad from 2005-06, as well as stints in Ireland and Scotland in the latter stages of his playing career.

Speaking about the decision to join Leicester Tigers, McKellar said: "This has been a big decision for me and my family, to make the move to the other side of the world together, but it is one that we are very much looking forward to doing, to be a part of a club like Leicester Tigers.

"There are strong links with the community, with the supporters and knowing that I will be a part of game days at Mattioli Woods Welford Road with 25 000 people in the stands lights a fire for me.

"What else stood out for me was that the club takes great pride in having a very strong academy programme, where we can develop our own players both culturally and from a rugby perspective.

"In the experiences I have had in the northern hemisphere, as part of tours with Australia, I have seen the passion for the game and the genuine love for the game that there is and that is what I want to be involved in."

Discussing the club, McKellar added: "The Tigers DNA is built around a combative style of rugby, with a strong set piece and defence, and that is something that I felt aligned strongly with myself.

"As well as that, we will be a side that attack in the right areas of the field and challenge teams in the right areas of the field.

"I see a squad of players at Leicester Tigers that I believe can evolve, can grow and have areas that I can add value to and help develop individuals to improve the team as a whole.

"It is important to me that the Leicester Tigers side I lead is one that represents what the club is about and what it stands for."