Stuart Lancaster keen to bring Wayne Smith on board – Rugby News Update
The Kiwi, Wayne Smith, who is the current coach of the Waikato-based Super Rugby side, the Chiefs, is a much sought after man. Stuart Lancaster, the head coach of the England rugby team wants the New Zealander to join his coaching staff and feels that the
55-year-old former fly-half will be the ideal candidate to replace Andy Farrell, who declined to join the English setup.
Lancaster met Smith over dinner to discuss the job description and to sell his vision for England. He said, "He was excited by the vision I presented to him about where we were going as a national team.”
Lancaster has not minced words regarding who he feels is the best person to replace Andy Farrell, who was the assistant to England head coach during this year’s Six Nations tournament. The duo helped England finish in the second place. However, with Andy
refusing to sign a contract with England, Lancaster has been forced to look elsewhere.
While speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, he said, "(I had to) find the Andy Farrell replacement, look around to see who was the best person for that fit. For me, there is one stand-out candidate - Wayne Smith."
In the short term Lancaster is looking at the option of drafting in Mike Catt for the tour of South Africa, where England will play a three match test series, along with two other games. Catt is the current attack coach for the London Irish side with a distinguished
international career, and he could do the job till a permanent solution is found.
One of the biggest apprehensions Smith has in taking the job is that he is going to find it hard to coach a team that will match the supremacy of the All Blacks in the next three years, especially when the next World Cup comes around in 2015.
"It is possible (I could coach England against the All Blacks). I have to search inside myself to see whether I can do that or not," Smith said.
He further added, "I am patriotic and I love the All Black jersey. That is why it is such a big decision.”
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