WH AT Y O U S H O U L D B E T A L K I N G A B O U T T H I S MON T H
“Coaching England or New Zealand next isn’t that attractive…”
AT THE tail-end of last year, two bosses in English rugby – Mark McCall of Saracens and Rob Baxter of Exeter Chiefs – ruled themselves out of the running to replace Eddie Jones with England.
This pair are of interest to the Rugby Football Union because they’ve helped build something really special at their clubs. Why interest may not run the other way is down to the RFU.
Tying Jones to England for a period after Japan 2019, and talking up his future as a mentor to the next boss, is behaviour that can spook coaches used to building, nurturing and planning for the long term.
Whether or not this is how things will pan out, it’s significant that big-name bosses are throwing their hats out of the ring so early. The idea of going from a senior position to having someone else look over your work – someone you may see as an equal – can be disconcerting.
Having layers of insulation between chief execs, boards and their coaches will sound attractive to administrators. Which union patrician wouldn’t want someone else to get the hard questions when a coach doesn’t deliver on-field?
Either way, having no successor lined up creates speculation and distraction.
All Blacks boss Steve Hansen has also announced that he won’t coach them post-World Cup. A successor for one of the most scrutinised gigs in the game will not be named until after the event.
So while Hansen is coy on his next move – another ‘mentor’ role, anyone? – we’re left to argue whether assistant Ian Foster should get the job, whether a sharp Joe Schmidt will really want it or if there are others keen to take on history.
Schmidt has a successor lined up for Ireland post-RWC in Andy Farrell. Wales also have a replacement for Warren Gatland in Wayne Pivac. That sounds so much more relaxing for the unions…