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Cape Town - Gary Gold will be back home in Cape Town on Monday, but his Aviva Premiership return could be confirmed later this week.
GALLERY: Past weekend's sporting pictures
According to the allblacks.com website, English club Bath are set to unveil the former Springboks' forward coach as their new coaching chief, filling the vacancy created by Sir Ian McGeechan's departure.
Gold, part of the Boks' coaching staff at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand last year, has spent the last four months trying to keep Newcastle among English rugby's elite.
Asked about his immediate future, Gold said: "I am going home, and I have some options to consider."
Newcastle's fate now rests on the outcome of this season's second-tier Championship title race, which will not be concluded until May 30.
Bristol, London Welsh, Bedford and Cornish Pirates are all contesting silverware, although it is thought only Bristol of that quartet categorically meet Premiership entry criteria.
Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Football Union intend to clarify the situation later this month, but it would appear that if Bristol do not win the Championship crown then Newcastle will survive.
Gold will now hand over the reins at Kingston Park to Dean Richards, whose three-year worldwide coaching ban imposed for his part in the Harlequins Bloodgate saga expires this summer.
GALLERY: Past weekend's sporting pictures
According to the allblacks.com website, English club Bath are set to unveil the former Springboks' forward coach as their new coaching chief, filling the vacancy created by Sir Ian McGeechan's departure.
Gold, part of the Boks' coaching staff at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand last year, has spent the last four months trying to keep Newcastle among English rugby's elite.
Asked about his immediate future, Gold said: "I am going home, and I have some options to consider."
Newcastle's fate now rests on the outcome of this season's second-tier Championship title race, which will not be concluded until May 30.
Bristol, London Welsh, Bedford and Cornish Pirates are all contesting silverware, although it is thought only Bristol of that quartet categorically meet Premiership entry criteria.
Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Football Union intend to clarify the situation later this month, but it would appear that if Bristol do not win the Championship crown then Newcastle will survive.
Gold will now hand over the reins at Kingston Park to Dean Richards, whose three-year worldwide coaching ban imposed for his part in the Harlequins Bloodgate saga expires this summer.
