Former Saints boss Boyd 'delighted' as he's handed key role at Gallagher PREM club
Former Saints boss Chris Boyd is ‘delighted’ to be back in the Gallagher PREM after being appointed as technical director at Gloucester.
On Monday morning, the Cherry and Whites announced the appointment of Boyd while also bringing in Bath head of recruitment Rob Burgess as general manager.
The Gloucester statement said: "These roles form part of the club’s long‑term strategy, bringing enhanced alignment, clarity and strategic leadership across all rugby operations.
"Chris Boyd, one of the most experienced rugby leaders in the global game, will join Gloucester Rugby on a consultancy basis, effective from 1 March 2026. Boyd will play a pivotal role in shaping the club’s rugby strategy and providing senior oversight across the playing department, with George Skivington (head coach) and Rob Burgess (general manager – rugby) reporting directly to him.
"His remit will also include challenging and refining the club’s playing identity, providing critique on training sessions, advising on tactical priorities, and supporting on squad succession planning."
Boyd joined Saints in 2018 and guided them to PREM Rugby Cup glory a year later.
He helped to transform the philosophy at Saints, placing an emphasis on young, hungry, homegrown players and English coaches.
Phil Dowson took over from Boyd and has since steered the black, green and gold to Gallagher PREM glory in 2024 and an Investec Champions Cup final last year.
Boyd had headed back home to New Zealand after leaving Saints but initially remained in touch with the club in an advisory capacity.
He has since had a spell with Munster but will be returning to England in April.
Boyd will fulfil his responsibilities with Gloucester by combining both remote engagement and dedicated in‑person periods with the club.
George Skivington will focus entirely on coaching responsibilities, reverting to a head coach role.
“I’m delighted to be supporting Gloucester Rugby during this next phase of the club’s development," Boyd said.
"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 (Brown, Gloucester CEO) and Skivs to understand the opportunities ahead.”
Gloucester CEO Alex Brown 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.”