Remarkable rise: Stuart Lancaster
Stuart Lancaster has been given a powerful new role overseeing the entire England structure.
It completes a remarkable rise for the England coach, who just a year ago was relatively unknown.
Lancaster is now effectively the RFU's elite rugby director responsible for all national teams and player development.
The England structure has been taken away from Rob Andrew's current responsibilities, leaving him clear to concentrate on renegotiating the RFU's new deal with Premiership Rugby.
The latest restructure was recommended by Peter Keen, the former UK Sport performance director, and Sir Ian McGeechan in a report commissioned in the wake of last year's Rugby World Cup debacle.
"This is the option the five of us believe is the right structure to optimise the performance of the England team," said RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie.
Under this new structure, Lancaster will head up the newly-created international performance department and the RFU will recruit a new head of player development to report into him.
But Ritchie insisted that Lancaster's primary focus will continue to be the England head coach.
"Stuart believes this is absolutely the right way to go. Elements of what we're talking about, he is doing anyway. He is very comfortable," Ritchie said.
"I don't see this as adding a burden of responsibility on Stuart - a time-consuming thing diverting him away from the senior England team.
"The England set-up is very plugged into the RFU. Stuart will continue to get a lot of support from me, from Rob Andrew and from this new key role that will come in.
"That is a serious grown-up role. It is someone who will have a key role in the development of England teams.
"It will be a seriously mature person who will be able to deal with a lot of these things on his own. He has to report into Stuart."
Comments
Waz4before says...
this is interesting and, providing it doesn't distract him from the core focus, a good move. If you recall last year when this "unknown" coach was appointed one of the issues he'd identified was a lack of continuity between the various England sides - he felt that players got to Saxons level and were effectively blocked and a generation was then wasted (all the ol' duffers still in the starting XV, remember those days??): his early success has been bringing those young players through to fairly credible performances (even though not winning enough games) and I think personally he is best placed - and very committed - to putting in place the necessary structures that ensures this happens long in to the future and not just when england reach rock-bottom as we did at the end of RWC .....
Consider the alternative of appointing someone over him for this role - it seems just wrong to me - the pinnacle of this particular pyramid is the england first XV and the first team coach can not be subservient to a desk-wallah with "overall responsibility" ... ultimately all junior england teams exist to service the needs of the senior side so who better than the first team coach to sort this area out once and for all?
That said it wont suit all england coaches and the RFU need to consider that in years to come and they may end up with that very problem but for now, I think SL's expertise suits this role but anyone of the last 2 or 3 coaches could not do the new role and would have to focus only on the first XV. If I read this right its not dissimilar to the role Ewen McKenzie now has at the Queensland Reds only on a national stage ..
and I guess there are no tears being shed for the sideways move of Mr. Rob Andrew either ;-)
Posted 23:13 31st January 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
I can hear the England bashers already. One win vs ABs in 10 years.... Bla bla. He will get a knighthood soon... Arrogant ... Bla ... Cocky... Disrespectful players bla bla... Not as good as they bla bla. ..
Posted 23:05 31st January 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
It's a little known fact that Stuart has always identified with the Bond Villians rather than Mr Bond himself. This time next year he will RULE THE WORLD MUHUHUHAHAHAHAHA!
Posted 12:27 31st January 2013
APV1 says...
I knew about him over a year ago, as our very successful Saxons coach. To say he was unknown is a bit of a disservice.
I also have my concerns - voiced by my fellow-posters - but I also have confidence in SL. So far he's succeeded in all that's be thrown at him. I'm sure he wouldn't jeopardise England's success and take a role which might.
Would he..?
Posted 11:36 31st January 2013
melkdave says...
To be honest i think its just formalising what he does already .He is still very involved with the Saxons and U20s sides ,and its a stated aim that they all play a certain style,and can intergrate.to a high degree.When the RFU build the performance center ,thats when it will really come together ,just as it does in NZ im guessing
Posted 11:10 31st January 2013
lawynd says...
Does this mean no more Rob 'Teflon' Andrew? One can live in hope...
Posted 11:07 31st January 2013
99call says...
As an outsider why would you want to take a coach who looks like he knows his job and is starting on to get a side together and then change his job and dilute his focus.
He shouldnt be heading up a performance department he should be heading up the english national side all youve done is turn a caoch into an administrator
Posted 10:06 31st January 2013
No5Sheepy says...
The greater the distance between Rob Andrew and the England set up the better!
Posted 09:55 31st January 2013
sanka69 says...
Anybody know what Rob Andrews actual role is these days? What is his job description and salary I wonder....
Posted 09:39 31st January 2013
heathy says...
I was going to get my 15 year old son to apply. He's also a bit of a joker that likes to play the odd prank and then I read this report. Clearly he's no good as it needs a 'serious grown up person' to do the job. Oh well, back to the drawing board eh?
Posted 09:23 31st January 2013
Headhunter99 says...
Good move for SL, this might ensure the continuity of player development that Woodward was banging on about after 2003. I wish him the best as he is a decent guy.
What exactly does Teflon Rob now do ??
Posted 08:39 31st January 2013
Frooschman says...
The slow but inexorable removal of R. Andrew is of course to be applauded by anyone who genuinely cares about the game in England. But is the promotion of Lancaster really the best step for the 1st XV or the rest of the England set up? The man has been coach for one year. And while he has performed far beyond my expectations, he has won nothing. Would it not have been better to let him concentrate on his existing role and promote a more experienced admiinistrator to oversee the entire England set up? As for the comment that Ritchie doesn't "see this as adding a burden of responsibility on Stuart - a time-consuming thing diverting him away from the senior England team" maybe someone can explain how this is so? Surely by its very nature this is what the role entails?
Posted 08:19 31st January 2013
JamieTheProp says...
Anyone else think this is slightly strange?
Shouldn't Lancaster concentrate (along with his coaching team) on England and Elite Rugby Development outside of that be run by someone else working closely with him and both of them reporting into Richie?
Or is that effectively what they are suggesting with the two man team?
I guess anything that removes Andrew's influence from playing matters is a good thing though - looks like the RFU are getting their acts together as well which can only bode well for the future - maybe a new era starting for English rugby - we can only hope!
Posted 06:19 31st January 2013