The Southland Times

Razor one of three in the mix for England job

- Alex Lowe and Will Kelleher

Scott Robertson, Ronan O’Gara and Steve Borthwick are understood to be on the shortlist to replace Eddie Jones as England head coach after next year’s Rugby World Cup.

The RFU expects to finalise its appointmen­t in May – four months before the tournament gets under way in France – and is set to reach out to all three candidates now that Bill Sweeney, its chief executive, is back from six weeks in New Zealand.

Sweeney had said that the successful candidate could be part of England’s management team at the World Cup. The RFU initially stated its preference was for an English head coach but that stance has softened, bringing Crusaders coach Robertson, the 48-year-old Kiwi, and O’Gara, 45 – his one-time assistant and former Ireland first fiveeighth – into the equation.

Both are highly regarded, along with Borthwick. The 43-year-old is the homegrown candidate who spent eight years working as an assistant under Jones, first with Japan and then England. He then became head coach of Leicester Tigers, whom he guided to the English Premiershi­p title last season. Leicester have previously said that they would not stand in Borthwick’s way should the opportunit­y arise. Robertson, the former All Blacks flanker who has coached the Crusaders to six Super Rugby or Super Rugby Aotearoa titles, has a confirmed interest in stepping up to internatio­nal level, although the New Zealand job would be his preference.

‘‘Like any ambitious coach, you’d love to coach internatio­nal footy,’’ he said. ‘‘I’ve said it many times that the All Blacks is my preferred choice but if it didn’t work out that way, you know, England’s got so much potential.’’

O’Gara, who last season guided La Rochelle to the Heineken Champions Cup, said last week that he would be interested in the England job.

Joe Marler, the England prop who was coached by Robertson and O’Gara with the Barbarians this month, would endorse both candidates for the job, perhaps even on the same ticket.

‘‘I would probably give them my vote, even after only a week working with them,’’ he said. ‘‘Both of them would be great.’’ —

 ?? ?? Scott Robertson is firming as a favourite to take on the England job after next year’s Rugby World Cup.
Scott Robertson is firming as a favourite to take on the England job after next year’s Rugby World Cup.

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