Former Ireland captain Willie Anderson has been appointed head coach of AIB League Division Three side Rainey Old Boys.
Anderson will take over at Hatrick Park from John Andrews who has ironically moved to Dungannon, the club Anderson led to the Division One title in 2001.
The 52-year-old ex-lock, whose 27th and final Ireland cap came against Scotland in 1990, is currently on a rugby tour with Holywood school Sullivan Upper in New Zealand and will start with Rainey next month.
He is a full-time PE teacher at Sullivan Upper and previously taught at Rainey Endowed, where his son Thomas, the Dungannon and Ireland Under-20 flanker, was a pupil.
Anderson has been assistant coach with Leinster and Scotland in recent years, and had a spell with Ballynahinch during the 2005/06 season.
Rainey had a season to remember in 2005/06 when they won promotion to the AIB League and claimed the inaugural AIB Junior Cup, beating Youghal 27-5 in the final at Lansdowne Road.
The men from Magherafelt finished a very credible seventh in their first season in Division Three and are targeting a top-four finish next term.
Rainey chairman Arnie McLean said: “We are absolutely delighted to get someone of Willie’s experience. He was miles better qualified than anyone else who applied and he lives just three miles from the club.
“It was a massive blow to lose John Andrews but we have a good young squad and there is no better man than Willie Anderson to take them on to the next stage. He will be a hell of an asset to us.”
The Derry club’s senior teams are back in pre-season training tomorrow night.
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