The former Scotland lock joined the Falcons as an assistant coach in the summer of 2008, having ended his glittering playing career with a season at Italian club Petrarca Padova.

Capped 71 times by Scotland, Grimes made 139 appearances for the Falcons as a player between 1999 and 2006, helping to win the 2004 Powergen Cup final and scoring 16 tries in his Newcastle career before spending a season in his homeland with Border Reivers.

Grimes' responsibilities as an assistant coach include masterminding the Falcons' line out and forward play.