Dean Richards, Newcastle's next director of rugby, is itching to get his hands dirty again after growing increasingly frustrated during his three-year "Bloodgate" ban.
Richards has confirmed he will take over at Kingston Park from the South African Gary Gold after his suspension expires on August 19.
The 48-year-old guided Leicester to four Premiership titles and two Heineken Cup crowns before taking Harlequins from the Championship into the last eight in Europe.
The "Bloodgate" scandal erupted in 2009 after Harlequins wing Tom Williams used a fake blood capsule to feign injury in their 6-5 Heineken Cup quarter-final defeat by Leinster.
Richards revealed he has received a number of offers from Aviva Premiership clubs during his suspension, but he was convinced by the ambition of Falcons owner Semore Kurdi.
"The first year [of the ban] was the most difficult, in many ways," Richards said. "In other ways perhaps it wasn't, though. Because the job is basically 24/7, you tend to neglect your family growing up.
"It is only in the past three years that I have spent the amount of time I have wanted to with my wife and kids, and just watching the children playing rugby has been fantastic.
"In the last 12 months I have grown more and more frustrated. I watch the games every week and, like any coach, I am thinking, 'Why are they doing that?' Every coach's opinion is probably different from the next, but it has been frustrating and I want to get back in. I am raring to go. I can't wait."
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