Lions legend Sir Ian McGeechan has leapt to the defence of under-fire Sale Sharks head coach Bryan Redpath.
The former Scotland scrum-half has come under pressure after the Sharks recorded just one victory in their opening nine matches of the season – the 34-33 Heineken Cup victory over Cardiff Blues last month.
As a result of the disastrous start Redpath was moved from director of rugby to head coach but McGeechan has offered a ringing endorsement.
"We speak on a regular basis and he is a good coach, a very good individual and has good character," McGeechan told ESPN Scrum.
"We've talked things through and I have just tried to use my experience and support him. And when you talk things through it sometimes makes the decisions you have to make easier or clearer."
McGeechan, who toured twice with the Lions as a player and five times as a coach, is central in a newly formed organisation that aims to represent and protect the interests coaches.
And McGeechan hopes the Rugby Coaches Association will become invaluable.
"We felt there was a gap there," added McGeechan. "Coaches did not have anywhere to share ideas or seek support which is sometimes quite important.
“In some cases it is just a matter of young coaches being backed by more experienced coaches because sometimes it can be a very lonely place.
"The coach is always the easiest one to move on or question when often you have to look at the whole structure to see what support there is in the club.
"It is important that coaches feel that they can pick up a telephone or meet to talk things through and just get good advice on what decisions need to be made.
“Sharing knowledge and having the opportunity to take ideas and use some, change some, and have a forum and support structure that coaches could buy into and relate to is very important."
