England: The 11-man longlist as Steve Borthwick searches for Felix Jones’ replacement, including Springboks great
A look at the possible candiates Steve Borthwick could recruit to replace Felix Jones.
Following reports that Felix Jones is set to vacate his role as England’s defence coach, we take a look at the longlist of options Steve Borthwick could approach to fill the void.
Jones arrived in the England camp at the start of the year having helped the Springboks clinch back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles.
The Irishman clearly learnt plenty under the tutelage of Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus during his five years in the Bok set-up and when he got to work with England, the team’s defensive structures closely resembled that of the world champions.
It took some time for the players to adjust but when it did, England were rewarded, with the defence playing a particularly pivotal role in the Six Nations win over Ireland and kept the All Blacks largely at bay this July, conceding just four tries across the four Tests.
It is reported that the Rugby Football Union (RFU) could force Jones to serve a 12-month notice period that would keep him in place until next summer if triggered.
This would allow Borthwick and the RFU to search the globe for his replacement or even allow Jones to piece together the rest of his plans and get his potential successor up to speed.
We take a look at who Borthwick could turn to whether it be coaches who are familiar with the Bok-style blitz of wingers shooting up to make ball-and-all tackles with a massive emphasis on scramble defence or coaches who would remodel the defence structure again.
Jacques Nienaber (Leinster)
It’s a long shot but if you don’t ask, the answer is always no. Having had the student lay the groundwork, Borthwick could attempt to recruit the master, Nienaber.
The defence guru is currently at Leinster having vacated his role as the Springboks head coach after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Nienaber was the mastermind behind the Springboks’ defence that won back-to-back Rugby World Cups and a British and Irish Lions series having successfully turned South Africa’s fortunes around after a disastrous 2017.
His system is still being used by the Boks albeit with slight tweaks by new defence coach Jerry Flannery and it is his blueprint that Jones modelled his plans with England.
Nienaber is contracted to Leinster until June 2026, so recruiting him to England would require a financial buy-out but there is also an assumption that he would return to the Springboks set-up when his contract expires in Ireland.
Norman Laker (Stormers)
The next best thing? Norman Laker has been coaching in the Western Province and Stormers set-up since 2007 and worked closely with Nienaber in Cape Town and when the ex-Bok coach was part of SA Rugby’s mobi-unit.
The Stormers have kept a similar blueprint to the Boks over the years and Laker is probably at the point in his career where he may well be eager to test himself at the highest level.
Laker would be a sharp get as his tactics closely mirror Jones and the Springboks. He would be able to build on the foundations already laid but also add his own twist.
Omar Mouneimne (Exeter)
Looking within in the Premiership, Exeter Chiefs’ defence coach Omar Mouneimne is arguably the best fit. The well-travelled coach has employed similar tactics in Devon but again would bring his own twist to the role.
Mouneimne would also have the advantage of having worked with and against many of the current England players for several seasons.
He also has previous experience at the highest level working with Italy and South Africa’s Sevens team.
Jaque Fourie (Lions)
Borthwick could take a bit of a gamble on a young-up-and-comer in former Springboks centre Jaque Fourie.
Currently working with the Lions, Fourie is another who will have had some learnings from Nienaber during his time as a player but is starting to make a mark on his own as a defence coach.
He was central to the Lions’ improved results last season and while he is still early in his coaching career, he is showing real promise. It’s worth remembering that Jones is four years Fourie’s junior and thrived when taking the step up to the international scene.
Kevin Sinfield (England)
There is much confusion over the future of Kevin Sinfield in Borthwick’s set-up after he was moved out of the defence coach role to accommodate Jones’ arrival.
He was set to leave his position after the tour to New Zealand but is now understood to be staying on and if the RFU do force Jones to serve out his notice period, Sinfield could be primed to take over the defence once again using the blitz tactics.
A well-respected and popular member of the coaching team, if Borthwick can get his long-time lieutenant to stay on, he could make the transition nigh-on seamless.
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Joey Mongalo (Sharks)
There are several South African coaches on the list as many of them have appointed similar styles and modelled their tactics around Nienaber’s.
The same is somewhat true for Sharks defence coach Joey Mongalo, who is highly-rated in South Africa.
Mongalo has also worked with the Bulls and Lions previously and took up the role of South Africa A’s defence coach for the matches against Munster and Bristol Bears in 2022.
While the Sharks struggled at the start of last season, they came right in the latter stages with the Mongalo-led defence proving pivotal in their run to the Challenge Cup title.
Lee Radford (Northampton Saints)
Lee Radford made an immediate impact on Northampton Saints’ defence last season as the club ended their 10-year wait for a Premiership title.
Saints have always been renowned for their attacking brilliance but Radford added a real bite to their defence which was crucial in several tight matches throughout their campaign.
Like Mouneimne, he would have the benefit of having analysed most of the England players rather closely in the Premiership and with a Saints-heavy inclusion in recent Borthwick squads, many of the players would be up to speed with his tactics too.
Radford only made the switch back to rugby union last season but has made a huge impact and while a step up could be seen as a bit of a gamble from Borthwick, it has the potential to play off two-fold.
JP Ferreira (Bath)
Another South African and one that has also worked with Nienaber’s structures, JP Ferreira has impressed in his roles with Munster and Bath in recent seasons.
He took over from Nienaber at Munster, working with Johann van Graan and moved with the head coach to Bath in 2022.
There was hardly a drop off in Munster’s defensive prowess with Ferreira taking over and he has been pivotal in Bath’s rise back to the top of the Premiership.
Again, he is another who will have a good understanding of the England players and their strengths.
Adam Powell (Saracens)
Another young defence coach and a former teammate of Borthwick who could make the step up, Adam Powell has been leading Saracens’ defence since Alex Sanderson’s departure from the club.
Saracens have constantly been near the top of the Premiership table and much of their success and consistency has been centred around their defence.
Like many others on this list, he will have a deep knowledge and understanding of the current crop of players in England.
Nick Easter (USA)
Another ex-teammate of Borthwick, Nick Easter is currently working with the USA men’s team but could be tempted to work closer to home.
The former England number eight has also coached at several levels in English rugby having held roles with Newcastle Falcons, Harlequins and Worcester Warriors.
Paul Gustard (Stade Francais)
Finally, another one of Borthwick’s former teammates and ex-fellow assistant coach under Eddie Jones, Paul Gustard could be another sharp recruitment.
Gustard is currently working with French club Stade Francais where his defence helped the Parisian side reach the semi-finals of the Top 14 after making the barrage the season before.
In fact, the side had narrowly avoided relegation the season before he arrived and have since finished in the top four in the next two campaigns.
