Ben Cohen not convinced by Stuart Lancaster – Rugby News Update
Ben Cohen, the 33-year-old former England and Northampton winger has stated that he does not think Stuart Lancaster, the head coach of England has the requisite experience to win England international honours, and the job should have gone to a person who
had more international experience.
While speaking about Lancaster he said, "I think he should have been in and around the squad and have someone with real international experience over a number of years at the top - someone like a Nick Mallett or a Wayne Smith.”
Lancaster took over the England job on an interim basis after the debacle at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, and after the team showed promise under him at the 2012 Six Nations, the Rugby Football Union appointed him on a permanent contract. However, with England
touring South Africa for a three-match test series, and two other mid-week games, it is the first big challenge that Lancaster is facing in his fledging international coaching career.
"Stuart Lancaster came in and did a good job," Cohen told Sportal. "But do I think he should have got the main job? No.”
Cohen, who announced his retirement at the age of 32 feels that he did a good job filling in, but did not deserve the permanent position.
He further added about the 2012 Six Nations, "He had a new coaching staff who all had a buzz about them. It was a real honeymoon period. I'm not doing him a disservice - he came in and did a fantastic job and everyone speaks very highly of him.”
The former winger also believes that England is not playing rugby the way they should, and concentrated more on the results, rather than having a structured style.
Cohen came to prominence for the Northampton side that won the Heineken Cup in 2000, and he was handed his first international test cap against Ireland at Twickenham, on February 5, 2000 by Clive Woodward, the former England boss. In total he played 57 times
for England, starting 54 of those games and coming on as a substitute three times. His last international was against South Africa at Twickenham in 2006.
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