by Our Sports Desk

Former Australia coach Tim Sheens is to quit his job as Salford director of rugby to take over at Hull KR, Red Devils owner Marwan Koukash announced yesterday.

The ex-Wests Tigers boss, who guided Australia to World Cup glory in 2013, has agreed a three-year deal to take the reins at relegation-threatened Rovers from the end of the season.

Sheens, 65, is just 12 months into a three-year contract with the Red Devils but has been head-hunted to succeed Chris Chester and interim boss James Webster at Craven Park.

“I always said I would release Tim if he got the opportunity to become a head coach,” Koukash said.

Sheens will see out the season with Salford and if they meet Hull KR in the £1 Million Match to determine the 12th place in Super League for 2017, Koukash says he will step aside from his role for the fixture.

Sheens, who relinquished the Kangaroos job last October following his appointment with the Red Devils, will return to hands-on coaching five years after leaving his role with Wests Tigers.

At Salford, he took on a back-seat role to allow Ian Watson to take charge of the team and Koukash says the former scrum-half is now ready to branch out on his own.

“Ian has progressed so well that there was no prospect of Tim becoming head coach and I am very confident he can now cope on his own,” said Koukash, who dismissed speculation that he would be joining Sheens at Hull KR.