JON Feeley is returning to Wharfedale as head coach.

The former Greens player, who has been in charge of Yorkshire for the past three seasons, will be assisted by forwards' coach Jon Skurr.

The latter has not only been involved with the white rose alongside Feeley, who almost took Yorkshire to the Bill Beaumont County Championship final - they only lost out on playing the decider at Twickenham on points difference - but was also a union team-mate of his at Rotherham and Wakefield and at Bradford Bulls.

Skurr was previously head coach of the Ireland Women’s Sevens team.

Wharfedale's new director of rugby Rob Baldwin, who has also been assisting Yorkshire, said: “The two Jons are a proven combination at the highest level in the county.

"Having worked with them both at Yorkshire, I am convinced they will make a massive impact at Wharfedale and offer something completely different.

"With player recruitment and retention tougher than ever, especially given our location and limited budget, we have committed to giving the players the best possible rugby experience in order to overcome these hurdles.

"This is essential if we want to compete in the National Leagues.”

Also joining the club’s coaching team for 2018-19 is another former Wharfedale player in Chris Black, who will be in charge of strength and conditioning.

Black, who was previously head of strength and conditioning for Yorkshire Carnegie and Leeds Rhinos, is currently working with England Rugby League.

Baldwin says: “We have a fantastic medical team at Wharfedale with Sam Lyles, Jill Alexander-Riley and Rachel Galley, who look after the players so well, but the National Leagues are getting increasingly physical and we need to have our players fitter and stronger to compete better at this level.

"Chris knows what it takes and will help to get the best out of our players on the park.”

Feeley, who was a winger or full back at Sheffield Tigers, moved to Wharfedale when he was 35, being appointed backs coach at the end of the 2011-12 season.

However, Feeley replaced Tom McGee in the head coach role after just one season, with the Scot, who had been given an assistant coaching role with Leeds Carnegie, becoming one of his assistants.

At the end of the 2014-15 season, with Feeley’s career in education becoming more time consuming, McGee took over again, but Feeley was back in the hot seat in February, 2016 when McGee got a job in Scotland. 

Having seen out the rest of the 2016-17 season, however, Feeley was replaced by James Doherty, whose time as director of rugby at The Avenue was also ended by an increasingly busy job in education.

Doherty's place as director of rugby was taken by Rob Baldwin earlier this month, while Michael Harrison has stood down as rugby chairman.