by Ben Coles

BRYAN REDPATH has been removed as Director of Rugby at Sale Sharks, with chief executive Steve Diamond taking charge of all coaching matters for the remainder of the season.

John Mitchell is expected to join the club as a consultant in the coming weeks and has given his input towards selection for Friday’s match against London Irish.

Redpath has been offered the backs coaching job at the club and has been given two days to accept or move on. Mitchell is currently back in South Africa finalising the release of his contract from the Golden Lions, who suspended him earlier in the year.

The former Scotland scrum-half was hired over the summer after a truncated, and controversial departure from Gloucester at the end of last season. Redpath was charged with leading Sale into a shiny new era at the new Salford City Stadium and Sale recruited heavily over the summer, bringing in marquee players such as Richie Gray and Danny Cipriani.

But the club have struggled in the Aviva Premiership, losing all of their first seven matches of the new season, with the latest defeat coming on Friday night away to Worcester.

Redpath’s previous stint with Gloucester finished with a run of six consecutive defeats, meaning that he has lost his last 13 matches in the Aviva Premiership as a Director of Rugby. Sale also dismissed forwards coach Steve Scott earlier in the season, with Diamond taking over the coaching of the pack.

Mitchell has been heavily linked with the club in recent weeks and watched Sale during their defeat to Montpellier two weeks ago in the Heineken Cup. However, he is still contracted to the Lions in South Africa, despite his suspension after several fallouts with his players over his management style.

Sale take on 11th placed London Irish on Friday night in what was already a must-win clash given there is already an eight point gap between themselves and safety.

Follow Ben Coles on Twitter @bencoles_