WAKEFIELD Trinity have named former York City Knights forward Mark Applegarth as their new head coach.

Applegarth succeeds Willie Poching, who Wakefield surprisingly departed company with, despite leading Trinity to Betfred Super League safety this year by a 10-point margin.

Having previously worked as assistant coach, player performance manager, reserves coach and head of youth at the West Yorkshire club, Applegarth now steps up to his first head coaching role.

During his playing career, the prop made 115 appearances for York, scoring 13 tries, across two spells from 2008 to 2010 and 2015 to 2016.

Applegarth played 13 times, scoring one try, during the 2010 season in which the Knights were promoted through the Championship One play-off final.