'Right man' to lead Knights

Howells takes up his appointment immediately. His first match in charge will be the pre-season friendly on Sunday at Leeds Carnegie, where he will get a first chance to see both the club's teams in action.

Howells said: "I am very excited about the new challenge at Doncaster Knights. The facilities, on and off the field, are excellent and there is a clear vision about where the club wants to be in the future, which attracts me.

"I had other offers on the table, but after speaking to Clive Griffiths and Kingsley Jones (the two previous directors of rugby at the club) there was no doubt that this is where I wanted to go. I also know a few of the players from previous experience.

"The squad looks really strong, and what I saw of them at Newcastle on Sunday convinces me that with some minor improvements we can be a really competitive force at the top end of National One this season".

Club President Tony DeMulder said: "We are delighted to have secured someone with such vast experience and proven abilities. It has taken a while to get the right man but it will prove worth the wait."

A native of the Rhonda Valley, Howells begun his coaching career began in 1991 at Pontypridd and later at Cardiff where he led them to the Welsh Championship and to a Heineken Cup quarter-final spot. He also developed a string of Welsh internationals during his time at the club.

He was in charge of the Welsh regional side, the Celtic Warriors, until they were disbanded by the Welsh Rugby Union in 2003, and was also assistant coach of Wales under Graham Henry.

He took charge of the Welsh tour of Japan along with Griffiths, who quit the club at the end of last season midway through a two-year contract to join Premiership Worcester, while Henry was with the British Lions.

His most recent club appointments have been at Italian side Leonessa, where he spent two years before taking charge of the Edinburgh Gunners regional side in Scotland a year ago.

The much publicised dispute this summer between the Edinburgh owners and the Scottish Rugby Union, which resulted in the franchise being taken back into the SRU fold, saw his role at Edinburgh disappear and prompted his move to Doncaster where he and his wife, Jeromin, will relocate immediately.

"He is well known in rugby circles as an honest, down-to-earth, dedicated character, knowledgeable and forward thinking, but also a fan of the social and historic fabric of the game," said club spokesman Allan MacGregor.

"He views himself as a hands-on coach and will act as forwards' coach as well as tending to the more managerial aspects of the director of rugby role."