Scrum guru Dan Palmer has followed Dan McKellar out the door at the Leicester Tigers as Australian coaching dominos continue to fall.
The Tigers issued a statement on Thursday (AEST) confirming that the club had accepted Palmer’s resignation as scrum coach after just eight months in the job.
Palmer’s move followed head honcho McKellar’s “mutually agreed” split with the Tigers at the weekend.
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It also fuelled speculation that Palmer – who worked under Eddie Jones with the Wallabies last season – could potentially follow McKellar into a role with the rebuilding NSW Waratahs.
McKellar and Scott Wisemantel are leading contenders to take the Waratahs coaching reins following Darren Coleman’s exit.
“It (McKellar) would be a great appointment,” Randwick coach Stephen Hoiles, who has also been linked with a Waratahs role, told Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts.
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“I know the Waratahs are going for a head of performance and a head coach. He’s (McKellar) probably one of the few coaches here that has the skillset to do both – heading up the programme at the Brumbies for such a long time.
“I think the area that he covers – like his set piece, his scrum, his maul – his record is excellent in Canberra.
“Didn’t finish well at a club in England but they’re a powerful club and there’s probably a fair bit of pressure.”
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McKellar and Palmer previously worked together during a successful era with the ACT Brumbies.
Former Fiji coach Simon Raiwalui is expected to be officially announced as the new Waratahs director of performance on Friday.
Ex-Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, meanwhile, is reportedly a leading contender to replace his compatriot at the Tigers.
“Palmer submitted his resignation after confirmation of the mutual agreement with Dan McKellar to end his tenure as head coach at the club, citing that he was unable to commit to the role fully moving forward into the new season,” Leicester said in a statement.
“All other assistant coaches and performance staff, as announced earlier this month, have commenced work on the 24/25 season.
“The process for appointing a new head coach is ongoing, with an announcement to be made ahead of the playing group’s return on July 1.”