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Interview: Falcons director of rugby Steve Bates

Newcastle Falcons have confirmed Steve Bates' appointment as the permanent director of rugby at Kingston Park.

Bates, 45, was handed temporary charge of the team in March and impressed chairman Dave Thompson enough to offer the former Wasps man a three-year deal.

"I'm extremely pleased about being put in this position and it's a privilege," Bates told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"We've got a lot of improvements that we can make and I think that gives us a lot of cause of optimism."

Under Bates' stewardship the Falcons reached the European Challenge Cup semi-finals but struggled to match such results in the Premiership.

However chairman Dave Thompson was adamant that form was not the main criteria for appointment.

"The decision to appoint him was never going to be based on wins," he said.

"It was going to be 'Did the team advance as we wanted it to do so?' and as I've said before it did."

With the departures of Toby Flood and Mathew Tait shrinking the first-team personnel, Bates has admitted new signings could be required to add depth.

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Interview: Falcons chairman Dave Thompson

"We can't afford to lose those players and not replace them, so we will certainly be looking to recruit in that area," he said.

"And although I think our forwards are underestimated, and not given the credit they deserve we still need to look at strengthening those areas."

Details of the new-look coaching team will be announced in due course, and Bates is keen to bring in new blood.

"We're talking to a couple of people who I think will add expertise to what we've got at the moment," he said.

"We need to look at how we then work together once the two are in position."