Featherstone Rovers have confirmed John Duffy as the club’s new head coach until the end of the 2018 season.
The 37-year-old left Swinton Lions last night after three years in charge at the club.
During his time with the Lions, Duffy gained promotion to the Championship in 2015 and comfortably kept them in the division the last year.
His appointment at the LD Nutrition Stadium comes after the departure of Jon Sharp who has guided Rovers to back-to-back top four finishes in the Championship.
They have particularly impressed this season and will finish the regular season in third if they avoid defeat to Toulouse on Saturday.
Duffy will be thrown straight into the spotlight in his new job as after this weekend’s game in France, Featherstone will take part in the Super 8s Qualifiers.
In the Qualifiers they will come up against the bottom four Super League teams and the rest of the Championship’s top four.
“I am thrilled to be joining Featherstone, this is a huge opportunity for me and I am looking forward to the challenges ahead,” said Duffy.
“Featherstone is a massive club, with a proud history, and it is a privilege to be given the chance to join the long list of great coaches who have worked at the Rovers.
“I certainly buy in to the ethos surrounding the club and want to be a part of the journey it is going on.
“The Qualifiers are just around the corner but we have one final league game remaining, so I have time to get amongst the players and assess where the squad is at.
“These are exciting times for Rovers fans and I am sure the players are looking forward to ripping into the Super 8s next month.
“This has all happened very fast for me but the opportunity to join a club like Featherstone was one I could not afford to turn down.
“I have enjoyed my time at Swinton and learned a great deal while in charge.
“I am now looking forward to this, the next chapter in my coaching career, and am excited as to what the future holds here.”
