RFU sign Stuart Lancaster until 2020.

Good news for SL and maybe England.

But I can't help but think that the RFU should have waited until after the RWC, but hey these contracts aren't worth the paper they are written on.

Got to say that's really disappointing. Typical RFU.

Lancaster is doing a solid job but it means if he underperforms we are stuck with him for the long term.

It's also his backroom staff that could be the issue too.

Farrell Sr and Mike Catt for example - they've done a solid job I guess but I believe there are much better options in England to take the England attack and defence to the next level.

Well i dont think anyone would disagree thats he's hauled us into the right direction in terms of repsecting the white shirt, general performances on the pitch have been good etc

But for me there are still little niggly selection question marks, tactical issues (are we ever going to use the wings) and balance in the side..

For example picking an athletic mobile pack filled with "alrounders" rather than a more specialised pack where individuals are picked per positional requirement.

Im not sure he's getting it totally right and i genuinely dont expect us to be in the Final of the WC next year.

But thats just my opinon of course.

I like him and think he's done a decent if unspectacular job, but my goodness this is a huge vote of confidence, and I can't help but feel that waiting until after the World Cup would have been sensible. It is not inconceivable that England could get knocked out of the group stages of their own World Cup, and endorsing that coach for another 5 years would seem rather silly at that point.

Strikes me as a big gamble, and given his contract ran to 2016 anyway, a rather unnecessary one. He got the job, let's not forget, with very little experience and has no track record of note beyond his time with England. Should he be sacked after the World Cup (if England underperform) I'm not sure there would be a long queue for his services.

All in all a rather odd announcement at this stage. For England's sake I hope the effect is a positive one for the coaches and the squad, although I'm not convinced there was any sense of instability with the prior contractual arrangements in place.

There may of course be a break clause in the event of certain achievements not being met, so the announcement may not in of itself be particularly significant.

Decent and unspectacular maybe, but the biggest thing he seems to have been doing is build a long term plan. It should hopefully start paying off now, but the future is as bright as any time in the last few years.

A big name might have brought more success faster, but more likely more false dawns also

Sounds more like a public vote of confidence pre AIs and with a longer view to the RWC, possibly to pre-empt hostile media and also to send a message to the players that he's there for the long term.

He can probably survive a poor AI series given the growing injury list and a top two in the 6ns would be OK, however if England don't get to at least the semis of the RWC, or even worse fail to get out of the pool he'll be gone contract or no contract.

Well maybe the security an opportunity like this offers is a good thing. Warren Gatland was given the same deal prior to the last RWC and Wales had a super tournament reaching the semis for the first time in years.

Did they, I must have missed that!

Eddie O'Sullivan was given a long contract before 2007. It certainly helped their campaign.

maestegmafia wrote:Well maybe the security an opportunity like this offers is a good thing. Warren Gatland was given the same deal prior to the last RWC and Wales had a super tournament reaching the semis for the first time in years.

I think that triumphant march to the semi final for Wales is now more over-mentioned than England's 2003 win.

Interesting that Wales' 'super' tournament and England's 'awful' campaign saw Wales reach one round further and lose to the same opponents (England losing fewer games). Perspective?

maestegmafia wrote:Well maybe the security an opportunity like this offers is a good thing. Warren Gatland was given the same deal prior to the last RWC and Wales had a super tournament reaching the semis for the first time in years.

You wouldn't really say that Wales have kicked on under Gatland though. Since Gatland has been in charge Wales have not beaten a tri nations side.

Surely every single fan wants to see progress? Wales are a good side but I think they need to move on from Gatland.

If England don't make the quarter finals then it will be the first time they haven't in a RWC.

I think both Wales and England need a change in some personnel to take them to the next level.

beshocked wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:Well maybe the security an opportunity like this offers is a good thing. Warren Gatland was given the same deal prior to the last RWC and Wales had a super tournament reaching the semis for the first time in years.

You wouldn't really say that Wales have kicked on under Gatland though. Since Gatland has been in charge Wales have not beaten a tri nations side.

Surely every single fan wants to see progress? Wales are a good side but I think they need to move on from Gatland.

If England don't make the quarter finals then it will be the first time they haven't in a RWC.

I think both Wales and England need a change in some personnel to take them to the next level.

I was surprised to read that the back room staff get the same deal.

Either extreme confidence in the system Lancaster and his underlings have in place .......... OR........... it'll be a very expensive Premature End of Contract pay-off for the RFU if they want to offload Lancaster and his crew before the six years are up!

So yes.... Lancaster is smiling regardless of how it pans out and the RFU?  Well, they must be believing him when he tells them his project is long term, that it ain't necessarily about 2015 (getting his excuses in early ) and that he needs to be in situ long term to see the full effects of his World Domination Plans take hold.

Exciting times for England that somebody somewhere believes enough of the Lancaster Party Manifesto to invest in it for another 6 years.  But I guess that's the word that is central to the whole thing - Belief; and how far that might get.

Lancaster was very qualified for the post few better having bought many thru Academy and
A sides.His record is respectable second in 2 6Ns both on points difference[I think ?]win versus AB`s.

He is being in theory a chance to build for the long term but note that today RFU
announced position reviewed post RWC 2015 failure to progress from group or
QF exit History.