PREM club enlist highly regarded New Zealander who will ‘play a pivotal role’ in shaping club’s rugby strategy as George Skivington role changed
Gloucester appoint Chris Boyd to their leadership structure.
Gloucester have announced two appointments to their leadership structure, with Chris Boyd joining as technical director and Rob Burgess named general manager – rugby.
These roles form part of the PREM outfit’s long-term strategy, bringing enhanced alignment, clarity and strategic leadership across all rugby operations, Gloucester say.
Boyd, one of the most experienced rugby leaders in the global game, will join Gloucester on a consultancy basis, effective from March 1. Boyd will play a key role in shaping the club’s rugby strategy and providing senior oversight across the playing department, with head coach George Skivington and Burgess reporting directly to him.
Boyd role explained
The New Zealander’s remit will also include challenging and refining the team’s playing identity, providing critique on training sessions, advising on tactical priorities, and supporting on squad succession planning.
“I’m delighted to be supporting Gloucester Rugby during this next phase of the club’s development,” said Boyd.
“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.”
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Gloucester has confirmed that Boyd will fulfil his responsibilities by combining both remote engagement and dedicated in-person periods with the club while Skivington will focus entirely on coaching responsibilities, reverting to a head coach role.
Meanwhile, Burgess will begin his role as general manager – rugby, effective from April 1, joining from West Country rivals Bath where he has been head of recruitment for the last three seasons.
On his return to Gloucester, 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.”
Outstanding additions
Speaking on both appointments, Alex Brown, CEO of Gloucester Rugby, said: “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.”
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