Newcastle Red Bulls fans, get ready for an exciting new chapter. Interim head coach Stephen Jones is embracing what he calls a "wonderful challenge" as the club prepares for a major transformation in the 2026-27 season.

Jones, a former Wales and British and Irish Lions fly-half, will step back into his preferred role as attack coach under new head coach Dan McFarland, who is currently finishing up his stint with Japan's Kobelco Kobe Steelers. The duo has already been in deep discussions, and Jones can't wait to bring the full coaching team together to craft a fresh identity for the club.

"When we get together as a coaching group, that'll be exciting," Jones told BBC Sport. "We'll be discussing concepts on how we want to play, what's our DNA, what's this club's identity, and how we can best bring that together. There are lots of pieces of the puzzle that when we connect, we've got to make sure we're clear on our vision and our alignment."

The Red Bulls have been busy in the transfer market, signing 23 new players for the upcoming campaign. That means a bustling summer at Kingston Park as the squad gels under the new leadership. For Jones, the influx of talent is a dream scenario. "It's exciting and there are challenges that come with that," he said. "But how good is it? Quality players, quality people coming in—it's a wonderful challenge for us as coaches."

But before all that, there's still business to handle in the current season. Newcastle has four games left in The Prem, starting with a crucial home clash against Harlequins on Sunday. The Red Bulls are sitting at the bottom of the table, nine points adrift of Quins, and have lost all four league matches since Jones took over from Alan Dickens six weeks ago. Despite the results, Jones insists the team is showing signs of progress.

"We can look at statistics and we can see improvement, but professional sport is all about winning," he said. "We're desperate for that win. We can talk things up that we're making improvements—which we are from a statistical point of view—but the most important thing is getting that second league win of the season."

There's a glimmer of hope in the fixture list: only one of Newcastle's remaining opponents sits in the top six. For a team hungry to turn things around, that favorable schedule could be just the opportunity they need to build momentum heading into a summer of change.