Nick Mallet denys a position at Toulon and adds to speculation regarding Martin Johnson replacement – Rugby
England born former South African professional Rugby Union player and South African National Rugby Union team head coach, Nick Mallet, has revealed that he has recently turned down the position
of head coach with the big money spending French Professional Rugby Union outfit, Toulon. He made these comments on Friday, November 11.
The news of the Toulon denial adds to the ongoing speculation regarding Mallet as a replacement for Martin Johnson for the head-coaching job for England’s national Rugby Union team.
Mallet who recently ended his four-year tenure as the head coach of Italy’s national Rugby Union team has always been a candidate for the England’s coaching job. Earlier in his career, he has
turned down the opportunity to work as England’s head coach.
Speaking to the daily Telegraph, Mallet confirmed, “In 2006 I was asked to apply for the head coach job with England and I had my views on the director-of-rugby role at the RFU.”
Mallet made his name on the international Rugby Union and registered his name in the record books by leading Springboks side to seventeen unbeaten matches. Under him, Springboks equaled the
world record of 17 unbeaten runs before sustaining a defeat at the hands of England at the Twickenham during their 1998 tour.
Besides coaching for Springboks, Mallet has the experience of coaching a European side during his stint with the French professional Rugby Union outfit, Stade Francais. Mallet is considered
as the preferable candidate for the England job if Martin Johnson decides to leave his current position.
Mallet termed England’s head coach role as a “huge job.” He added, “The England job is one of the prime posts in the world. It's not only the performance of the team on the field that needs
freshening up, it also the performance of the guys off the pitch.” He termed the head coach role as challenging and very demanding.
However, the 55-year-old Mallet has expressed his unease regarding the prevailing situation with the Rugby Football Union (RFU). He said, “First of all you have to sort out what's happening
at the Union and who you phone to pitch for the job. I don't know who that person would be in the England set-up.
In replying to question regarding to whom the head coach should report, Mallet suggested that the head coach should report to the management board instead of the director of Rugby, who usually
has little or no experience of top level Rugby.
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