Within the early Nineteen Nineties, Dan McFarland was a semi-regular presence on the Kingston Park terraces whereas learning classics at Newcastle College. He met his spouse Danielle within the metropolis.
Greater than twenty years on, he’s again. And in some ways, the house of Newcastle’s rugby aspect appears the identical in 2026.
The truth, although, is that every part has modified, with McFarland now the person heading up the workforce’s Pink Bull revolution.
‘I did not bathe myself in glory as a scholar, however I actually made essentially the most of it,’ Newcastle’s new head coach tells Every day Mail Sport. ‘I had three sensible years right here. I’d stand for matches on the backside of the terrace. I don’t actually keep in mind any particular video games. There’s most likely a great cause… however we don’t want to enter that!’
Now not pint in hand as a scholar spectator, McFarland has a critical job on his fingers with Newcastle, who’re going into their second season below the possession of billionaire vitality drinks giants Pink Bull.
With that comes expectation. Pink Bull should not an organization that settles for mediocrity, as McFarland and his gamers have discovered.
Pink Bull’s coaching base in Salzburg, Austria, isn’t a traditional venue for a pre-season camp for a PREM Rugby aspect, however that’s precisely the place Newcastle spent per week earlier this month. There, McFarland’s squad – which comprises a mammoth 26 new gamers for the beginning of the 2026-27 marketing campaign – have been handled to the total Pink Bull expertise. It included carrying one of many organisation’s iconic Formulation 1 automobiles throughout a subject as a part of their health coaching.
‘Having a worldwide firm proudly owning a rugby membership in Europe is extraordinarily uncommon,’ says Newcastle’s new head coach Dan McFarland. ‘They’re breaking new floor’
The Newcastle squad headed to Pink Bull’s futuristic international HQ in Salzburg earlier this month for his or her pre-season camp
Their modern health drills included carrying a Pink Bull F1 automobile throughout the pitch
In addition they educated and labored alongside different Pink Bull-sponsored superstars in surfer Andrew Cotton, mountain biker Danny MacAskill, health athlete Harry Lightfoot and HYROX star Jake Dearden.
Newcastle’s rugby outfit is now seen as a key a part of the Pink Bull model, alongside the organisation’s raft of different sporting groups and superstars. It appears to have already rubbed off on the squad.
‘Pink Bull is a particularly distinctive model,’ says Newcastle’s New Zealand flanker Tom Christie. ‘So, for us, as Pink Bull athletes, to be a part of their household was an unbelievable expertise.’
Full-back Josh Hodge provides: ‘If you begin to step into the Pink Bull world, it is an actual eye-opener. When Pink Bull has obtained concerned with some other sports activities, they’ve made essentially the most thrilling groups or thrilling people on this planet. That is what we’re making an attempt to do too. We wish to be essentially the most thrilling rugby workforce on this planet.’
Pink Bull are actually not a model that settles for sporting mediocrity, so their important monetary funding into Newcastle brings with it an expectation of enchancment. Final season, the membership completed backside of the PREM desk – with simply two wins from 18 video games – for the fourth straight season, a 12 months after Pink Bull’s takeover saved Newcastle from falling out of existence.
Now, after McFarland’s appointment, an entire squad overhaul and important work undertaken behind the scenes, there’s hope of a turnaround in fortunes.
The size of Newcastle’s overhaul means it’s unlikely, although not not possible, that the membership will go from backside to high instantly. However what the membership must be is extra aggressive. That’s what Pink Bull demand. It’s what English membership rugby’s high division wants too whether it is to retain its lure.
‘I genuinely do not know what’s achievable, so I am not going to place any limits on that,’ McFarland says. ‘We’re owned by an vitality drink firm, so our recreation must be excessive vitality.
‘We’ve obtained to play with depth and we’re getting ready to try this. We wish to convey a model of rugby folks wish to watch. Pink Bull are well-known for eager to push boundaries. It’s not fluff. That is what they wish to do. They’re courageous. Having a worldwide firm proudly owning a rugby membership in Europe is extraordinarily uncommon. They’re breaking new floor. I used to be actually attracted by that.’
This time final 12 months, former coach Steve Diamond took Newcastle on a tenting journey to the Lake District. Salzburg, the place the membership’s resort was decked out with a Pink Bull DJ, F1 simulator and desk tennis desk – alongside the state-of-the-art coaching services – represented fairly the improve.
Josh Hodge (left) and Tom Christie of Newcastle Pink Bulls. ‘For us, as Pink Bull athletes, to be a part of their household was an unbelievable expertise,’ Hodge tells Every day Mail Sport
Newcastle’s gamers take pleasure in some downtime in Austria on their pre-season tour
However it wasn’t all enjoyable and video games, as South African again Werner Kok would attest
Pink Bull’s fingerprints at the moment are throughout Newcastle. Their influence has not been delicate. A close to £1million funding into a brand new taking part in pitch was the beginning and, within the years to return, there are plans for a brand new coaching centre on the Kingston Park web site.
Neil McIlroy is a key determine as basic supervisor, whereas former Scotland analyst, Gavin Vaughan, is in as head of recruitment. Vaughan and new head of efficiency, Tom Clough, are each taking part in very important roles. Newcastle received’t spend to the PREM’s wage cap of £6.4million this time period, however will achieve this within the coming years as they give the impression of being to draw world-class expertise.
The Pink Bull coaching camp has already made gamers at different golf equipment throughout the globe envious. Vaughan’s telephone is red-hot with curiosity. England coach Steve Borthwick has visited Newcastle throughout pre-season to get a really feel of the surroundings.
‘We’re a start-up membership, so there’s a course of that comes with that,’ says McFarland, who has additionally coached with Connacht, Glasgow, Scotland, Ulster and Kobe Steelers. All people at Pink Bull understands they don’t seem to be in it for the quick haul. It is a challenge that is going over years. My job is to attempt to get it off the bottom.’
Pink Bull’s influence on Newcastle has been important in all elements. Off the sphere, their backing means workers now have free lunches alongside the gamers and their pensions have been boosted.
A raft of latest workers have been employed, video and social media managers arriving by way of Pink Bull’s advertising and marketing programme. A video of two Newcastle gamers doing a kicking problem in Austria was shared by Pink Bull’s important Instagram account and shortly racked up tens of millions of hits.
There are plans for Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad – the F1 drivers for Pink Bull’s second workforce Racing Bulls – to put on Newcastle shirts on the grid of an upcoming Grand Prix. Newcastle’s gamers may also quickly be on the entrance cowl of Pink Bull’s international journal. All of it varieties a part of the model’s consciousness piece. The message is obvious. Be daring. Be brash. Achieve success.
There has additionally been an try, nonetheless, by the membership to remain near its group regardless of it being bought by a world model. Newcastle’s squad is break up into 4 mini groups in a nod to the realm’s historical past, every named after its proud affiliation with the coal mining, farming, ship-making and fishing industries.
‘We’re representing Pink Bull and we take that significantly,’ says Christie, who has thrown himself into his new life as an adopted Geordie with journeys to observe Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
‘The individuals are mad for the soccer workforce right here. We’ve obtained some wonderful followers who’ve caught with us when it’s been powerful. We’re not going to shrink back from that. Now we’re able to play an thrilling model of rugby, reward our followers and hopefully usher in new ones.’
‘We’re a start-up membership, so there’s a course of that comes with that,’ says McFarland
Newcastle’s gamers absorb a few of Pink Bull’s different initiatives on a tour on the HQ
Scrum-half Raffi Quirke and Kiwi flanker Hoskins Sotutu are Newcastle’s two massive arrivals, although the latter is presently nursing a knee harm. McFarland faces a tricky process in mixing in so many new gamers so shortly.
However Newcastle should not simply planning a fast repair. John Fletcher’s position in bringing by younger gamers might be essential to their hopes for long-term success and in 17-year-old Scotland No 10 Jake Dalziel, the membership has one in every of British rugby’s premier abilities. Don’t be stunned if Dalziel quickly turns into a PREM common regardless of his tender years, even when McFarland rightly plans to handle {the teenager} sensibly.
Pink Bull’s funding is not any assure of success for Newcastle, however the membership now has pockets deep sufficient to problem the most effective and in McFarland, a coach who has a connection to the town.
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend is an ongoing Pink Bull marketing consultant, too. Time will inform if Newcastle’s enormous turnaround can yield leads to the marketing campaign to return. However one factor is for certain – Pink Bull’s endurance is unlikely to final lengthy in the event that they don’t.
‘It is a membership that has been linked to glory,’ McFarland concludes. ‘It is also a membership that is full of resilience, toughness and grit – all issues that make rugby a really particular sport. That was a giant attraction for me in coming again to Newcastle.’
