Scotland have turned to rugby league royalty for their new defence coach, appointing Lee Radford ahead of the autumn internationals. The former Hull FC second row enforcer and Northampton Saints assistant brings serious defensive pedigree – and plenty of edge – as Gregor Townsend reshapes his backroom staff following Steve Tandy’s departure to Wales.
He’s a name that may not have been on everyone’s lips, but one that makes a lot of sense given his credentials and recent success in turning Northampton Saints into one of the best defensive outfits in the Premiership since he joined with them in 2023.
Radford will juggle his Saints duties with his new Scotland role until the end of the season, when he’ll go full-time with the national side. His Scotland contract runs until the end of 2027/28, suggesting Townsend sees him as part of a longer-term project heading into the next World Cup cycle.
Radford is a legend of rugby league, having played for Hull FC and Bradford Bulls during a career that brought three Super League titles. Since stepping back from playing in 2011 he’s coached Castleford Tigers, Hull FC, and Samoa – helping the latter reach the Rugby League World Cup final in 2022, no small feat given Australia’s traditional dominance (Australia won the final, of course). He even spent a brief stint in the US Major League Rugby with the Dallas Jackals.
“Scotland have been very sound defensively over the last few years and there are similarities to how they defend compared to Northampton. My job will be to continue that cohesion as well as adding some of my own touches. If you look at the age profile of the Scotland squad, it is all starting to come together nicely and I have been really impressed with how the team have developed recently. Having so many players away with the Lions in the summer is testament to the work that has been done and I can’t wait until the end of October when I meet everyone for the first time ahead of four exciting matches in the autumn.”
He replaces Tandy, who left earlier this year to take over as Wales head coach after the Skyscanner Summer Tour. Radford joins a familiar group alongside recent B&I Lions assistant coach John Dalziel, Pete Horne and Pieter de Villiers – rounding out what looks like one of the more stable Scottish backroom teams in recent memory.
If Radford can restore and maintain Scotland’s defence at the peak Tandy occasionally had them achieve, Scotland will be in good shape to unleash strong (counter) attacking instincts.
Bringing in Tandy after the disastrous 2019 Rugy World Cup campaign probably saved Townsend’s job (if not Matt Taylor’s) and saw the Welshman tour with the Lions in 2021 as a result, but Scotland’s defence is now no longer regarded as specifically a weakness. It’s often the overall leadership that is questioned following poor results.
Radford needs to keep the Tandy momentum going while adding a touch of his own aggression and organisation. Time will tell how quickly Radford’s ideas translate to the Test arena, but his track record suggests Scotland’s defence is in capable hands. League coaches tend to bring a different edge to contact and line speed – two areas where Scotland have already made big strides in recent years.