Lancaster's coaching staff

First topic message reminder :

Rowntree is a nailed-on cert

Who else should join him?

Defence, Attack, and possibly special advisor (e.g. SCW).

Any number of coaches will not break the RFU budget...

Don't forget he gave The Volcano 5 caps too...

Firstly again my joy may be expressed to see finally this choice made in stone. Gladly England have now avoid the folly of select another coach from away somewhere and settle by a man with which good England background is firm.

So far as England were some good in this tournament, but maybe not reach the performance so easily forgotten last year it seems an honest beginning and may I wish Stweart many luck to the future, and also the fans here in England for an exciting time from now.

Look Ashton was responsible for Andy Farrell and look where that got us

Facts; the 3 man panel have enjoyed a excellent honeymoon period together and deservedly are all now being kept on. Obviously the interesting bit is how they develop from here? Personally I am slightly concerned around the father/son issues of the Farrells but otherwise all is good - amazingly good infact.
The Ashton telegraft story was utter bs on the part of mares. Ashton has since made it public he has not been contacted by HQ, and given that it has also been mentioned that he is not an entirely well man....well lets just say the mares chap is a fool and tg has lost its way......save pitbull.
Finally, it makes a lot of sense for Wayne Smith to join the 3 amigos. His obvious coaching credentials....obviously...but more so his connection with World cup winning brains trust.....money cant buy that experience and even if he didnt stay the course his imparted knowledge could be crucial.

Is there any time frame of when people need to be in place?

When is the new EPS announced?

...when does the squad fly off to SA?

Ritchie has previously said he is willing to wait to get the right people in place. Initially this was stated regarding the head coach position and the possibility of retaining a caretaker until a Super Rugby coach became available after the summer.

The EPS will be announced at the beginning of May with a game against the Barbarians on the 27th. The first test in Durban is on the 9th June, but I presume the first midweek game will precede that on the 6th.

If Andy Farrell does come on board, it would not surprise me if he asked another old Wigan team mate to join up as Skills coach, Dennis Betts who was last at Gloucester developing their handling skills. I also think Dean Ryan would be an astute choice not in a full time role but in an annalytical role watching hours of tv footage of the opposition.

Ashton has pretty much ruled himself out in his Independent column today and seems pretty amused that he's been linked to a role in the international set-up by some papers.

Sir Clive Woodward...oh dear..... please no !....the reason we have been so terribly terribly poor in the last 8/9 years is because we have been completley inable to move on from the world cup win....andy robinson tenure was horrendous..old 2003 has beens with no young talent being blooded...the 2005 lions the biggest joke in lions history...well done SCW....the last world cup was scuppered by the 2003 captain picking his over the hill flyhalf, outside centre and openside chums which essentially messed up the RWC. If we involve SCW in any shape or form it will undermine everything...he is too out of touch...the old 2003 veterans have finally all moved on (took 9 bloomin years) we have a fresh start....new forward thinking attack coaches please !!!!!!!! As a bath lad It a curve ball i know but we could do alot worse than Steve Meehan for attack... He revolutionsed bath backline play with an amazing offloading game from all 15 players...we only now are realising what we are missing with SIM in charge.

sirtidychris wrote:Sir Clive Woodward...oh dear..... please no !....the reason we have been so terribly terribly poor in the last 8/9 years is because we have been completley inable to move on from the world cup win....andy robinson tenure was horrendous..old 2003 has beens with no young talent being blooded...the 2005 lions the biggest joke in lions history...well done SCW....the last world cup was scuppered by the 2003 captain picking his over the hill flyhalf, outside centre and openside chums which essentially messed up the RWC. If we involve SCW in any shape or form it will undermine everything...he is too out of touch...the old 2003 veterans have finally all moved on (took 9 bloomin years) we have a fresh start....new forward thinking attack coaches please !!!!!!!! As a bath lad It a curve ball i know but we could do alot worse than Steve Meehan for attack... He revolutionsed bath backline play with an amazing offloading game from all 15 players...we only now are realising what we are missing with SIM in charge.

1. I never recommended him for any sort of coaching role - merely a mentor for the inexperienced SL.
2. SCW, I am sure will be the first two recognise his failures of 2004 domestically and subsequently his Lions squad selection and their play. And he will have learned from that.
3. SCW is primarily a sports administrator. Not a coach. If he had got his way against the RFU old farts, he'd have negotiated the currently weak RFU/PRL agreement which recognised the importance of both interests - well better than Squeaky did.
4. Had he been available to MJ as a mentor during the RWC, maybe the senior players would not have gone awol.
5. SCW has a role post-Olymics to provide a hard-nosed representation of Club v Country issues which would challenge the Farts - much more effective than the supplicant Rob Andrew.

The Farts would hate SCW to be back in the fold - which he is the very reason why he should be there.

SirTidy....you are completely unfair on SCW. You have forgotton how forward thinking he was at the time. He resigned because the RFU would not give him what he believed was required to stay ahead of the competition. If the RFU had been more forward thinking then we would not have had such barren years. Yes there would have been a period of re-building, but not the protracted fallow period we have had to endure. Bringing SCW back would be a good thing and not a bad one. He is an ideas man and would put in place everything required to make England successful. That includes the best coaches. Back in 2002/3 we had the best coaches.....he would try and get the best around today, whoever that is. The jury on SL will remain out for some time.

Lets be clear SCW is history, everybody please move on nothing to see here...

kingelderfield wrote:Lets be clear SCW is history, everybody please move on nothing to see here...

One thing I can assure you is that SCW is not history. He I am sure will have plenty to say in or outside the RFU fold either as an official or a media commentator once his BOC contract finishes.

I wouldn't advocate Woodward for a lead role in the RFU (maybe a place on the board post Olympics), but in terms of Woodward harking back to 2003, didn't he select George Ford at 10 for an article during the 6N?

SCW will not have any involvment with this coaching panel. He may make media comments from time to time and may in some way become involved via Leicester in the RFU, however I do not see him being invited by anyone - Thomas has gone. Please realise every dog has its day and that day (truly magnificent that it was) has been and gone for SCW.

Okay don't get me wrong Sir Clive is a legend what he did for england rugby was amazing our nation will always be thankfull for what he achieved.

But SCW is the kind of guy that has to be in the driving seat, we always slam squeaky for sticking his oar into the XV however wherever you put woodward he will find a way to influence the goings on of the playing team.
IMO SCW wants to run the england team again, this would be a massive step backwards....2003 was amazing....2003 is in the past.

Right now we have a new young coaching team with a exciting and forward thinking approach to coaching they have the nation, the media and most importantly the players on their side. SCW involvement in any shape would undermine what these guys are doing, he has a completely differnent approach including a different coach for every facet of play and a member of staff for every possible different task...whereas the new team believe in simplicity... as soon as SCW starts 'advsing' everyone is thinking who is in charge. It is very similar to Sir Ian Mcheegans involvement at Bath. All the fans including myself were very excited to see SIM was getting involved at bath...he is a legend of a coach with a history of success....his involvement however totally undermined Meehans position essentially forcing him to leave the club. The club and fans although thankful to meehan didn't mind either because we were getting SIM. A season on we realise we had a young forward thinking coach who had revolutionsed bath rugby style of play and was taking us places but we forced him out because a big name coach was more appealling to us and now we are in a much much worse position.

Leave SCW to comment on everything from the newspapers...let our new coaches put the systems in place that they want...give them complete control. If they fail then you can all call for SCW to get involved.

Tidy...I agree that with SL in charge there is no place for SCW currently. But I would not rule him out in the future....that is all.

Agree with all of that Tidy.

So Meehan for backs coach?

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Look Ashton was responsible for Andy Farrell and look where that got us

To within a controversial TMO call of winning a second world cup?

My mind is that foot was out. But maybe not and then who can say if this was a life cycle in revenging the try in 1995 Underwood try who had foot going over the line and no camera replay on the rules?

There was a link on the NZ Herald website today (no longer there though??) that mentioned Lancaster wanted to catch up with Wayne Smith, I think in SA, when he's there with the Waikato chiefs. Probably just media talk as we've not heard anything from Smith, not that he would talk about this as he'd be concentrating on the chiefs. Has anyone heard anything about this?

It's in the Telegraph.