Brown agrees to take over at Saints next season

Brown has turned Huddersfield into a major force in Super League (Getty Images)

St Helens got their man yesterday when Huddersfield's Nathan Brown agreed to take over as head coach from next season. The 38-year-old Brown, who is in his fourth season in Super League, will succeed fellow Australian Royce Simmons after he completes his commitments with the Giants in October.

Caretaker coaches Mike Rush and Keiron Cunningham, who have enjoyed outstanding victories over Leeds and Warrington since taking over from Simmons, are expected to stay in charge until the end of the season when Brown will take up a three-year contract.

The St Helens chairman, Eamonn McManus, said: "We are extremely pleased that Nathan will be joining us next season. I believe he is ideally suited for the Saints both with regard to the way we want to play and as to what we aim to achieve in terms of success."

Brown became Saints' first choice to succeed Simmons – who was sacked after the club's worst ever run in Super League – once the former head coach Daniel Anderson ruled out a return.

Brown has turned Huddersfield into a major force in Super League, with a Challenge Cup final appearance in his first season and taking the Giants to within 80 minutes of a maiden Grand Final in 2010.