Bath malaise costs Ford his job
BATH sacked head coach Mike Ford yesterday after a turbulent season in which last year’s Premiership finalists slipped to ninth place and suffered a series of off-field issues.
Ford paid the price for the team’s collective underachievement during a campaign in which bad news plagued the club. Sam Burgess upped sticks and left in November, Amanaki Mafi followed after a row with the club’s head of medicine, and Alafoti Faosiliva was sacked after an assault conviction.
Ford expected to stay but the plug was pulled on his three-year tenure yesterday.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mike for all his hard work, passion and commitment to the club and wish him all the best for the future,” said managing director Tarquin McDonald.
The wheel of fortune spins ever more quickly in rugby coaching. Seven months ago Ford was the bookmakers’ favourite to replace Stuart Lancaster after England’s failure at the World Cup.
Now Lancaster, who has also been linked with Queensland Reds, is one of the candidates to replace Ford.
The club, who have lost scrum coach Neal Hatley to England, last night promised “a review” of the coaching set-up for next season. It seems likely that whichever direction Bath choose to go, former captain Stuart Hooper will play an important role.
Hooper, who was forced to retire this season, has been earmarked as a future Bath director of rugby but retains close links with Lancaster, his former coach at Leeds.
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