By Adam Ellis
Worcester Warriors director of rugby is to leave the Aviva Premiership club at the end of the season to become the new head coach of the USA national team.
The South African took charge at Sixways in January this year and helped them to a 10th-place finish last season, signing a new one-year deal to commit to 2017-18.
Gold will join the USA Eagles set-up when his contract expires and will succeed John Mitchell who has already vacated the role to join the Blue Bulls.
A club statement posted on Worcester’s official website read: “Warriors can today confirm that Gary Gold has accepted an offer to become the head coach of the USA.
“Gold, who is contracted to Warriors until the end of the 2017/18 season, will remain at Sixways to fulfil his contractual obligations before he begins his new role.
“During his final season at Sixways, Gold will help the club identify a successor to carry on the good work he has done since the start of 2017.
Warriors remain without a win after five games of the new season but expressed their gratitude to Gold as he pursues new opportunities in Test rugby.
“We are working with Gary to ensure we can appoint a director of rugby who is capable of building on the good work he and his coaching team have done this year, and someone who is able to take us forward as Gary has done.
Gold boasts previous experience on the international stage having assisted former Springboks Pieter de Villiers during the 2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa.
Despite many international coaches planning for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, Gold stated his commitment to Worcester as they seek their first win of the season at Bath on Saturday.
Gold commented: “I would like to thank Bill and the Board for understanding my decision to accept the opportunity to coach at international level.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Sixways and my focus will remain on Warriors until the end of the season, where I hope to leave the club in a strong place to ensure it can be successful in the long-term.”
