SARRIES: DON’T HARRY US OVER FARRELL
THE RFU’S attempts to recruit Andy Farrell as part of England’s management remained unresolved last night as Saracens indicated they had not yet received a suitable offer to release their head coach. With the Aviva Premiership champions preparing for a heavyweight Heineken Cup quarter-final showdown against Clermont Auvergne at Vicarage Road on Sunday, the club are determined to finalise negotiations with the union at the earliest opportunity. While Saracens are more or less resigned to losing the former Great Britain rugby league captain, they will not free Farrell from his long-term contract without adequate compensation from Twickenham. Stuart Lancaster, installed as the long-term England head coach, wants to retain the cross-code international as one of his assistants. Saracens chief executive Edward Griffiths said yesterday: ‘We are in contact and we are eager to bring it to a conclusion. But there is a process. We don’t control that process. ‘There is some uncertainty and uncertainty can be a distraction, especially in a week like this ahead of a big game. It is similar to the distraction that Spurs have encountered with Harry Redknapp, so we’re anxious to avoid that. But there’s not an awful lot you can do about that. I don’t think it has had any effect on the team this week. It genuinely hasn’t. It’s just not been spoken about. ‘The default position is that Andy is a Saracens coach. If someone wants to make something happen then the onus is on them.’ Bath yesterday confirmed that their director of rugby, Sir Ian Mcgeechan, would be leaving the club at the end of the season. Sale have confirmed that they will be based at the new, 12,000-capacity Salford City Stadium from next season, in a groundshare arrangement with Salford City Reds rugby league team.