Gareth Ellis appointed assistant coach at York Knights

Gareth Ellis, the former Great Britain and England international, has been appointed as an assistant coach for the York Knights ahead of the 2027 season. Ellis will join head coach Mark Applegarth and fellow assistant Chris Thorman at the LNER Community Stadium.

Ellis brings extensive experience to the role, having completed a 21-year playing career with over 400 appearances for clubs including Wakefield Trinity, Leeds Rhinos, Hull FC, and the Wests Tigers in the NRL. He previously served as the Player Development Manager at Hull FC.

The appointment marks a personal milestone for Ellis, who played for the York Wasps academy in 1997 and whose father also represented York in the late 1970s. Ellis noted that the move feels like a ‘full-circle moment’ and expressed enthusiasm for working alongside Applegarth, a former teammate from their time at Wakefield Trinity.