Geoff Parling appointed as Leicester Tigers head coach, replaces Michael Cheika from next season
Geoff Parling
has been appointed as the head coach for Leicester Tigers, the English Premiership club announced on Monday.
#Operation Sindoor
The damage done at Pak bases as India strikes to avenge Pahalgam
Why Pakistan pleaded to end hostilities
Kashmir's Pahalgam sparks Karachi's nightmare
The former Leicester Tigers star will be replacing Michael Cheika starting from next season after the end of his assistant coach role with the Wallabies, Australia's national team, Reuters reported.
Who is Geoff Parling?
The 41-year-old hails from the Stockton-on-Tees town in the UK. Over the past few decades, Parling had an impressive career, both as rugby player and coach.
An official release from the Tigers stated that Parling is scheduled to take up the reins in August this year, post the 2025 British & Irish Lions Series.
Live Events
As a player, Parling made over 300 senior appearances, with his professional career spanning for a total of 15 seasons. This includes games in England, Australia and Japan.
He bagged 29 England caps as a player and appeared in all three Tests, when the side defeated Australia 2-1 more than a decade ago.
He won three Premierships, which includes two with the Leicester Tigers.
Parling made nearly a century of appearances with the Tigers in six seasons. He represented the British & Irish Lions as well as England at the Test level.
He is now all set to replace former Australia coach, Michael Cheika, whose contract is expiring at the end of the campaign.
As per reports, the English club remained aware from the beginning that Cheika will leave the side after serving its head coach for a year.
Apart from the Tigers, Parling also featured in Newcastle Falcons from 2003 to 2009, Exeter Chiefs (2015–2017), Munakata Sanix Blues and Melbourne Rebels.
According to ESPN, Parling began his career as a coach with the Melbourne Rebels. Thereafter, he joined the Wallabies in 2020. Later on, she became permanent under Joe Schmidt last year.
'Right person' Geoff Parling
On Parling's appointment, Leicester Tigers chairman Tom Scott in a statement said this was "vital for us" to have the "right person" for leading the side in the future.
Scott added that Parling was roped in after a "rigorous process".
After being "lucky enough" to witness "incredible moments" in the club's jersey, Parling said he now feels "extremely proud" to be back in the side.
He noted that he did not get enough opportunities that made him and his family think about moving out of Australia, which remained their "home" for the past seven years.
But shifting back to the Tigers is something they were "really looking forward to.'
Parling knows that the Tigers wish for "stability" in their side and he looks forward to build an environment with "strong foundations".
FAQs
1. How long was Geoff Parling associated with Leicester Tigers as a player?
He remained with the side for six years and bagged two Premiership titles.
2. Who replaces Geoff Parling as assistant coach of Australia's national team?
He remains with the Wallabies till the end of the test series against the British & Irish Lions and will only join the Tigers in August. So far, his replacement has not been announced by the Wallabies.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Mitchell Starc Breaks Silence On Not Returning For IPL 2025 After Indo-Pak Conflict
Australia and Delhi Capitals pacer Mitchell Starc was one of the few overseas players who decided against returning to India after the Indo-Pak conflict on the border. The battle between India and Pakistan prompted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to suspend the Indian Premier League (IPL) for a few days, giving overseas stars the opportunity to return to their respective homes. While most of the players returned to join their franchises as the T20 league resumed, Starc decided against it. The Australian pacer, who was pivotal to DC's strong show in the first half of the campaign, said that he had no problems with the stance he too (to not return to India for the remainder of the campaign". "I'm comfortable with my decision and how I felt about the whole situation and how it was handled. That's why I made my decision post-that, and my focus changed to red-ball cricket for about a week prior to coming over here. Time will tell with repercussions or how it looks with guys that didn't return. But I've had my questions and concerns leading into that game, and obviously, we saw what happened, which played a part in my decision," said Starc. Starc also revealed that World Test Championship final preparations with Australia was also a factor behind his decision. "There was a little bit of that to my decision around the Champions Trophy in Pakistan. And then once the tournament was delayed you start to think about guys' preparation for the Test match," he added. However, it is also to be understood that Starc's Australia teammate Josh Hazlewood, who is also a part of the WTC final squad, decided to return to India and play the remaining campaign for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who went on to win the tournament. "Things were handled differently for different players and different teams, the guys up in Dharamsala, the Punjab guys were part of that, and while both teams had similar experiences up there, all those guys returned for Punjab, and Jake Fraser-McGurk and I chose not to. So it was a very individual decision, and I'm happy to live with whatever comes of that," said Starc. Starc has continued to pledge his loyalty to the Delhi Capitals. "I'm still heavily committed to the Delhi group, and I'm not someone that's gone into tournaments and pulled out after being picked up in an auction or whatever that looks like. These are different circumstances," said Starc. "It was more a question of not having enough information leading into making a decision about things of that degree. I had a discussion back home, then came to a decision, and whatever comes from that, I'm comfortable with that, and we move forward," he added.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
When Rishi Sunak Proposed To Akshata Murty In Kannada To Honour Her Roots
Last Updated: Former UK PM Rishi Sunak proposed to Akshata Murty in Kannada, honouring her Bengaluru heritage and family culture. Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak shared that he popped the question to his wife, Akshata Murty—daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and renowned author Sudha Murty—in Kannada. He expressed how marrying into a Bengaluru-based family deepened his connection with Kannada culture, including his enthusiastic support for the IPL's Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). This heartfelt embrace of local traditions highlights a personal side of Sunak often unseen in politics. In an interview with The Times of India, the Indian-origin leader revealed that he chose to propose to his wife, Akshata Murty, in her native language, Kannada, despite not being fully fluent at the time. The couple first met at Stanford and tied the knot in a private ceremony in Bengaluru in 2009. Together, they have two daughters, Krishna, 14, and Anoushka, 13. 'I'm married into a Bangalore family, so RCB is naturally my team," he told the publication, mentioning that his in-laws presented him with an RCB jersey as a wedding gift. He's been a dedicated follower ever since, recalling, 'We attended matches years ago, and I even cheered for them from Downing Street." For Rishi Sunak, RCB is special. Like many devoted fans of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), the former UK Prime Minister reportedly expressed his admiration for Virat Kohli, calling him his favourite player and describing him as a 'total legend" of the game. He went on to reveal that among his most treasured keepsakes is a cricket bat personally signed by Kohli. This special memento was reportedly gifted to him by India's External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, during his tenure, making it a meaningful symbol of both his passion for cricket and his close ties to India. The bat serves as a constant reminder of his connection to the sport, the team, and the cultural bond he shares with his wife's hometown of Bengaluru. Beyond his love for the game, Rishi Sunak reportedly highlighted cricket's unique role in diplomacy, noting how it often served as a great icebreaker in conversations with fellow world leaders. He recalled engaging in lively cricket banter with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, especially during the Ashes series—conversations that, while sometimes intense, were always good-natured and friendly. Sunak also shared that with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cricket often became a cheerful and familiar starting point before moving into formal discussions, reflecting the sport's power to build bridges across nations. First Published:
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Netizens Can't Keep Calm Over Mallya's ‘Return To India' Buzz: ‘Covid, Pak War To This Podcast...'
Last Updated: Vijay Mallya hinted at the possibility of returning to India but only if he is promised a fair trial. Vijay Mallya is back in the spotlight. Recently, the 69-year-old appeared in a podcast where he opened up about his journey from the rise and fall of Kingfisher Airlines to becoming the owner of the IPL team Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He also addressed the financial allegations against him for the first time in years, hinted at the possibility of returning to India but only if he is promised a fair trial. 'If I am assured, absolutely I will. I will think about it seriously," Mallya said on the podcast hosted by YouTuber Raj Shamani. During the discussion, Mallya shared his concerns about India's legal system, especially around how people are treated while awaiting trial. 'There are other people the government of India is targeting for extradition from the UK… where the High Court of Appeal has found Indian detention conditions violative of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)," he said. Referring to what he sees as prolonged detention without due process, he said, 'They just lock you up and throw away the key." The interview, which is over four hours long, has triggered a wave of reactions online. Some were impressed with how open Mallya was, while others questioned the sudden buzz around him. One user commented, 'Raj Shamani's pod with Vijay Mallya is top notch. Like a cinema. Full of emotions, arguments and counter-arguments… Also, my prejudices about Raj Shamani cluttered a lot." Another said, 'So my generation has now seen demonetisation, Covid, lockdown, India-Pak war, RCB winning the IPL, Covid coming back and Vijay Mallya on a podcast." Which is the PR agency that is employed by Vijay Mallya ? Suddenly since a week there is so much content around him on this app.— Vipul (@Sporty_Baba) June 6, 2025 'Everyone is making a comeback in 2025, including even Vijay Mallya," a person remarked while another added, 'Vijay Mallya on Raj Shamani was not on my 2025 list. 4 hours long." So my generation has now seen demonetisation, covid, lockdown, India-Pak war, rcb winning the ipl, covid coming back and Vijay Mallya on a podcast Raj Shamani's pod with Vijay Mallya is top notch. Like a cinema. Full of emotions, arguments and counter arguments. Let the audience decide about a complex and controversial figure. Also, my prejudices about Raj Shamani cluttered a lot. — Satya (@heypinoc) June 6, 2025 'Vijay Mallya has done a podcast. First time he's facing any media since leaving India. Four hours eighteen minutes podcast. WHAT THE HELL I think man has opened up and spoke everything that he felt was unsafe to speak so far," an individual said. is it worthy of watching Vijay Mallya Podcast??— Ayush Singh (@imabhinashS) June 6, 2025 In the podcast, Mallya also addressed the label of 'fugitive." 'You may call me a fugitive for not returning to India after March, but I didn't run away. I flew on a prescheduled visit. Fair enough, I didn't return for reasons I consider valid," he said. He also spoke about the financial allegations against him and questioned the way he's been portrayed, 'Where is the 'chor' (thief) coming from? Where is the 'chori' (theft)?" Mallya left India in March 2016 after the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines. The airline's failure left several Indian banks with unpaid loans worth over Rs 9,000 crore. Since then, he has been living in UK and fighting extradition while Indian authorities continue efforts to bring him back to face charges of financial fraud and money laundering. First Published: June 06, 2025, 13:25 IST
