RUGBY UNION
Now Farrell could take charge of England
WARREN GATLAND appeared to rule himself out of the running for the England job yesterday, casting further doubt over whether the RFU’s search for a stellar figure to revive the team’s fortunes will be complete before the end of the season.
‘I am not interested in the England job,’ said Gatland, though it remains to be seen if that statement was made merely with an eye to his current contract with the Wales Rugby Union, which runs through the next World Cup in 2019.
Nevertheless, it turns the spotlight on the men who have survived the post-World Cup review — which claimed Stuart Lancaster — and may well lead England into the Six Nations at the start of February.
Andy Farrell, Graham Rowntree and Mike Catt are under contract and have work to do. For all the current chaos, the three coaches left standing are highly likely to be needed to hold the fort in the new year.
In eight weeks, a revised elite player squad must be named. Last season, Lancaster was able to defer the squad update until after the two January rounds of European club matches, which was just as well because a raft of injuries contrived to devastate England’s plans.
This time, there is no guarantee the clubs will agree to such a delay, so it may come in the second week of the new year.
Farrell, Rowntree and Catt surely cannot run the Six Nations campaign as a committee of equals. One of them will be tasked with leading the operation and having the final say on any close calls, such as the captaincy.
Catt is the least established and prominent of the trio, so he won’t be the one to take charge. Rowntree is the longest-serving, having worked under Martin Johnson before Lancaster was appointed. However, Farrell was seen as having the strongest influence in recent times, to the extent that he often seemed to hold sway over Lancaster in the decisionmaking process. Ian Ritchie, the union’s chief executive, says he is seeking a coach with ‘proven international experience’ — in keeping with the recommendations of the review panel. Their advice followed the failure of successive regimes led by Test novices; first Johnson and then Lancaster. Yet the RFU will need to wield their considerable wealth to land the right man.
From New Zealand, there have been prompt and dismissive responses by Graham Henry and Wayne Smith — two of the architects of the All Blacks’ global titles in 2011 and this year.
Eddie Jones, whose Japan team shocked the Springboks, is open to an approach from the RFU, although any bid to poach him would require a sizeable compensation payment.
A colossal fee would be needed to prise Gatland away from Wales, but the Kiwi would demand a salary far above the £500,000 that he earns in Cardiff. He would also demand full control over coaches and staff.
The only man who has declared his hand is Jake White, the South African who led the Springboks to World Cup glory in 2007 and is now in charge at Montpellier. But he has not coached at Test level for eight years and is the subject of mixed reviews from players who have worked with him.
The RFU must now move heaven and earth to get their man. Whoever is their ultimate choice, Farrell may be cast as lame-duck head coach for England’s Six Nations campaign.