Gloucester change leadership structure with two appointments

The appointments form part of a long-term strategy designed to create greater alignment, clarity and strategic direction across all rugby operations at Kingsholm.

Chris Boyd will join the club in a consultancy capacity from 1 March 2026. One of the most experienced figures in the global game, Boyd will oversee rugby strategy and provide senior leadership across the playing department. Head Coach George Skivington and General Manager – Rugby Rob Burgess will report directly to him.

Boyd’s responsibilities will include refining the club’s playing identity, reviewing and challenging training sessions, advising on tactical priorities and contributing to long-term squad succession planning.

Commenting on his appointment, Chris Boyd added:

“I’m delighted to be supporting Gloucester Rugby during this next phase of the Club’s development. Gloucester is a proud club with a passionate supporter base, and I believe there is huge potential within the playing and coaching group. My role is to help bring clarity, alignment and a strong strategic focus to the rugby operation, ensuring everyone is pulling in the same direction.

“I’m looking forward to meeting up with the team and coaches when I travel over to Gloucester in April. In the meantime, I’ve hugely enjoyed working with Alex and Skivs to understand the opportunities ahead.”

Boyd will split his time between remote engagement and dedicated in-person visits. As part of the restructure, Skivington will focus solely on his responsibilities as Head Coach.

The club have also confirmed that Rob Burgess will take up the role of General Manager – Rugby from 1 April 2026.

In his new position, Burgess will oversee the Heads of Medical, Performance, Analysis, Team Operations and the Academy, ensuring all departments are fully aligned. He will also lead on player recruitment and retention, helping to establish a long-term framework aimed at delivering sustained title challenges. The role will act as a key bridge between performance and commercial operations within the club.

Burgess arrives from West Country rivals Bath, where he has served as Head of Recruitment for the past three seasons. His previous experience includes roles with Dragons RFC and the England national rugby union team, as well as founding a rugby agency representing leading players and coaches. He also previously held the position of Head of Rugby Operations at Gloucester in 2009.

On his return to Gloucester, Rob Burgess said:

"I’m incredibly proud to be coming back to Gloucester Rugby in this role. I’m looking forward to working with Chris, Alex and the performance staff to help build the structures and standards that will support long-term success at this Club. I’m really enthused by the scope of this role and the impact it can have, and I’m excited to be coming back to Kingsholm in April.”

Chief Executive Alex Brown welcomed both appointments, highlighting their strategic importance to the club’s long-term ambitions.

“Chris and Rob are two outstanding additions to our rugby structure. Chris brings extensive experience as a Director of Rugby in both the PREM and Super Rugby, and his ability to provide high-level strategic clarity will be invaluable as we continue to evolve our rugby model, setting us up for long-term success.

“We are delighted to welcome Rob back to Kingsholm. He brings exceptional leadership, operational expertise and a deep understanding of elite-level rugby environments. The General Manager – Rugby role is fundamental to developing and maintaining a high-performance culture, and Rob is exactly the right person to drive that area forward.

“Following a significant number of discussions in recent months, I’m very pleased that both Chris and Rob have committed to joining us. Chris’ experience at the highest level will now play a key role in strengthening our coaching structure ahead of the 2026/27 season and beyond.”