Opinion: England’s coaching options for life after Eddie Jones

James While 31 Mar 2022 1:21 PM

Since Bill Sweeney’s press briefing last week, the rugby media has been full of speculation, fuelled by some very novel interpretations of the RFU words, on the future of the England head coach role.

Let’s put the record straight; firstly, Sweeney was at pains to point out that Eddie Jones has the fullest support of the RFU and that, whilst any position is always under review, he is here to stay to the end of the Rugby World Cup 2023.

Secondly, whilst some reports have suggested that the RFU will look exclusively for an English coach, this isn’t quite the case – Sweeney and Conor O’Shea pointed out that there was a wealth of talent to consider.

Thirdly, Shaun Edwards; Sweeney explained at length that, before he took the role as CEO, there’d been a half-baked attempt to talk with him. This resulted in Sweeney and Edwards taking a walk together to discuss various aspects of English rugby and to also examine how, in future, a more professional approach could be made.

Lastly, the RFU chief executive made it clear that contact with English coaches overseas was an ongoing process and something that happened as a matter of course, a joined up approach that has certainly included the likes of Edwards, and others such as Mike Catt and Andy Farrell.

Assuming therefore that Jones will stay, the next step in the evolution of England‘s coaching team will be to recruit his successor. In doing so, the planning must be intelligent, direct and also should include a broader job description, to embrace the wider cultivation of elite English talent and to ensure that the pool of players in the pathway is robust and competitive.

The England coaching role is regarded as one of the crown jewels of elite coaching appointments. With a salary north of £750k per annum, a supporting structure that is well-nourished, if at times adversarial between club and country and a pool of players that is vast in terms of quantity, if at times lacking in some positional quality.

What is absolutely key is to ensure that England has continuity, and to that end, Jones should be one of the key people in terms of finding the successor to his tenure.

Looking forward, we discuss the five leading candidates to take on the role of head coach:

Andy Farrell (currently with Ireland)

Farrell is a known quantity to the RFU, having served as defence coach during Stuart Lancaster’s regime. Farrell has joined up the club/country debate within Ireland, remains an imposing figure at the helm of their national team and would bring a hard nosed winning mentality and powerful organisational skills to the role. If appointed, it’s likely he’d insist on bringing Catt with him.

Shaun Edwards (currently with France)

With 38 winner’s medals across both codes of rugby, Edwards is regarded as one of the leading defence coaches in the sport. His brutal commitment to fitness and workrate has transformed France’s consistency and he has stated openly he wants to coach England. Whether or not his role is best as the leader or the right hand man will be the only debate. You can bet your mortgage that he will be in the mix when the new coaching team is appointed – the only question is what is the best role for this natural born winner?

Steve Borthwick (currently with Leicester Tigers)

Borthwick’s resignation from Jones’ coaching team in 2020 has left a gaping chasm of organisational skill in the current regime. Borthwick was recently described to Planet Rugby as ‘the man who made sense of Eddie’s chaos’ and the guy that made sure that the genius of Jones’ on-pitch coaching was reflected in the off-field organisation and leadership tasks. With a peerless understanding of the set-piece, his work at Tigers has shown just how good a rugby intellect he is and with a deep understanding of international rugby as both a player and coach, he is a clear favourite for the role.

Richard Cockerill (currently England assistant coach)

When Cockers was appointed as one of Jones’ right hand men earlier this season, it seemed a strange appointment – Cockerill isn’t noted for playing second fiddle to others, and his personal style, one that can be both confrontational and abrasive, suggested that he might have been employed to add a bit of challenge towards his boss. It’s pretty clear that the former Tigers hooker was positioning himself for the senior role in times to come, but right now, with England’s track record less than flash under his tutelage, he might well have slipped down the betting odds.

Rob Baxter (currently with Exeter Chiefs)

Baxter confirmed this week that he would be interested in the role if the RFU wished to talk. On the plus side, his leadership and his personal ethic set are beyond doubt, with Exeter one of the best run and closely bonded teams in the Premiership. But, bluntly, he has zero experience of international coaching – an environment that doesn’t offer the time with players to produce the outstanding culture that’s seen at Sandy Park. However, what England would get from Baxter is integrity, leadership and strategy of the highest quality. He remains an outsider, but a compelling candidate at that.

Other Runners and Riders: Alex Sanderson (Sale); Rassie Erasmus (South Africa); Scott Robertson (Crusaders); Mark McCall (Saracens)

Planet Rugby’s Dream Team: head coach: Andy Farrell; defence coach; Shaun Edwards; attack coach: Mike Catt