Hurricanes coach to join Saints

English Premiership club Northampton on Monday named New Zealander Chris Boyd as their new director of rugby on a three-year deal.

The 59-year-old, who will start work at Franklin's Gardens in August, will replace interim boss Alan Gaffney, who has been in charge since Jim Mallinder was sacked in December.

Boyd has coached the Wellington-based Hurricanes since the 2015 campaign, guiding the New Zealand franchise to their first-ever Super Rugby title the following year.

"I am humbled and excited to be joining Saints," Boyd said in a statement on the club's website.

"The club's ambitions match my own," he added. "I am confident I can help the Saints become one of the biggest and best teams in Europe."

Northampton chief executive Mark Darbon said Boyd stood out as the exceptional candidate for the club, who are currently third from bottom of the Premiership table.

"We said at the start of the process that we were looking for a world-class director of rugby, and we've secured one of the very best," he said.