Gary Gold gets Bath job

London - South Africa's Gary Gold has been given the task of reviving former English giants Bath after the English Premiership club announced on Tuesday he would head up a brand new coaching team.

Gold will join the west country club in time for the start of the 2012/13 season, with Toby Booth leaving his post as head coach of Premiership rivals London Irish to join the new set-up at Bath.

Former South Africa assistant coach Gold was given a temporary role at Premiership strugglers Newcastle in January in a bid to save the north-east club from relegation, although whether the bottom of the table team do go down will now depend on whether any promoted side meets off-field entry criteria.

Mike Ford, the former England defence coach, will also be a member of Gold's backroom staff at Bath.

Gold, who will succeed Ian McGeechan - the Scot's contract expires at the end of the season and the multiple British and Irish Lions coach has not sought a renewal - said on Tuesday: "I'm really looking forward to coming on board at Bath.

"It's a very ambitious club, with a great array of talent within the squad that I'm excited to be working with. There is a good culture developing here, and I'm keen to help further that with my own expertise and experience."

Bath, one of the major forces in English club rugby in the 1980s and early 1990s, are currently eighth in the 12-team Premiership.