England coaching situation 'beyond strange' – Graham Rowntree

The Guardian says

No formal announcement will be made before this weekend but the team's assistant coach Graham Rowntree is hoping for a swift resolution, describing the present situation as "beyond strange".

"There's a lot up in air at the moment. It's not just us. You've got to appreciate it's the whole of our management, 20-plus guys all going: 'What's happening? What are we going to be doing in six months' time? We're all up in the air. All we can do is do our jobs daily … everything else will take care of itself if we get the short-term things right."

http://m.guardian.co.uk/ms/p/gnm/op/stc7e02rO7FPe3RtcOrYA_w/view.m?id=15&gid=sport/2012/mar/13/six-nations-2012-england-graham-rowntree&cat=rugby-union

If Graham Rowntree could have avoided three discussion topics yesterday they would have been, in descending order of potential embarrassment: the ongoing search for a long-term England head coach; his own future as a senior member of the red-rose staff; and the Grand Slam misfire in Dublin this time last year. Inevitably, he was asked about all three, and there were moments during his final public interrogation of the Six Nations campaign when he yearned to be somewhere – anywhere – else.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/international/graham-rowntree-says-england-situation-is-strange-7565636.html

He's proved he is getting the pack working well...even getting Croft to play very well.

Despite an increase in penalties v France...generally we have kept penalties down aswell.

He's done well.

Nobody gave England a chance in this years 6ns with the young inexperinced side that they had.

Will Greenwood said before the tournament started that for Stuart Lancaster to have a chance of retaining the coaching job full time, he would need to win 3 games minimum. He has won 3 games with a possiblity of a 4th win this week end.

If they are going to give it to Nick Mallet, they should say so and stop giving Lancaster any hope of getting the job at all.

Unfortunately Will Greenwood has bugger all to do with the decision.

It's a rather uncomfy situation for the staff involved with England this six nations. But I think the RFU have been wise to hold off until they can work out what to do.