Gloucester Rugby is actively searching for a new Director of Rugby to support George Skivington, allowing him to concentrate more on coaching. The club’s senior leadership believes Skivington, currently serving as Director of Rugby, would benefit from stepping back from broader management responsibilities.
Following initial reports from RugbyPass, GloucestershireLive confirms that several interviews have been conducted over recent weeks to find the right candidate to lead the club’s rugby operations above Skivington. The club aims to retain Skivington, likely in a head coach role, marking the most significant structural change at Kingsholm in five years.
Skivington took charge of Gloucester’s rugby program in July 2020 amid the Covid-19 pandemic, after progressing from his previous role as forwards coach at London Irish. Since then, the team has experienced varied success in the Gallagher Premiership: 7th place in the truncated 2019/20 season, 11th in 2020/21, 5th in 2021/22, 10th in 2022/23, 9th in 2023/24, and narrowly missing the playoffs in 5th last season by just two points.
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Highlights during his tenure include capturing the Premiership Rugby Cup in 2023/24 and reaching the EPCR Challenge Cup final the same year. However, this summer’s significant player turnover, combined with a spate of injuries, has contributed to Gloucester’s worst start to a league campaign in history. As a result, the board feels Skivington should step away from overarching management duties to focus on coaching—an area he is reportedly eager to return to.
Recently, Gloucester announced that England Women’s head coach John Mitchell joined the club in a short-term, unpaid consultancy role to boost the coaching staff, particularly targeting defensive weaknesses. It remains unclear if Mitchell is also a candidate for the Director of Rugby position.
RugbyPass reports that former Ospreys head coach Toby Booth, currently a consultant forwards coach at Harlequins and coaching adviser for Hong Kong Rugby—who qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup—may be on Gloucester’s shortlist. Booth’s extensive resume includes roles as first team coach at Bath and Director of Rugby at London Irish, where he previously worked alongside Skivington.
Sources close to GloucestershireLive suggest several candidates have participated in interviews overseen by CEO Alex Brown, with a final appointment expected soon. The new Director of Rugby may initially join in a consultancy capacity, with the potential for a longer-term role as the club’s plans evolve.