Hotshot homegrown coaches a perfect fit for the top job

AFTER the RFU’s new CEO, Stephen Brown, mentioned that England must start planning for the day when Eddie Jones eventually steps down, I want to highlight the excellence of those homegrown coaches guiding the top four teams in the Premiership. Top of the pile are Northampton, who have responded magnificently to a nightmare 55-24 sometimes on limited budgets — he has produced extremely competitive teams in the toughest of leagues. Dean Richards has done likewise at Leicester, Quins and now Newcastle. The Falcons’ game on Saturday at Exeter will, I understand, be his 300th Premiership match as a coach or director of rugby. Those miles on the clock are priceless. Mark McCall time does come to replace Eddie, yes, scour the world for excellence but be aware that we already have some of the best coaches and DORs right here. International coaching and club coaching require different skill sets but handling the day-to-day pressures of a top Premiership side over a sustained period is an excellent start.

is, of course, a proud Ulsterman but as a coach he is ‘homegrown’ having been in charge at Saracens for eight years. He has transformed them from a flinty but often limited side who came up short against the best into a hugely impressive and versatile...

defeat by Sarries first up. Full credit to Jim Mallinder for leading that. Coaches such as Mallinder (right) get criticised when it goes wrong but year in, year out for Sale and now Saints —