Stuart Lancaster to think about the coaching staff – Rugby News Update
Stuart Lancaster, the head coach of England has the arduous task of planning for the future, and needs to consider if he is going to stick with the same backroom staff that he operated with in South Africa.
England signed off their tour of South Africa by drawing the last test at Port Elizabeth, while losing the first two test matches. However, they won the midweek games against the South African Barbarians North and South.
Graham Rowntree was assisting Lancaster as a forwards’ coach, while Mike Catt, a former England international, was working in the capacity of a backs coach. Catt quit his position with London Irish, and has stated that he would like to work with England
in a permanent capacity.
However, Catt was never first choice for Lancaster, as the England head coach worked with Andy Farrell during the 2012 Six Nations, forging a successful partnership with him. Farrell had been contacted by Lancaster to come on board permanently but he refused,
but having quit the Saracens recently, the former rugby league player is back on the market. Lancaster had also tried to tempt Wayne Smith, the former All Blacks player to work with England.
"In terms of the coaching team, we have all been flat out from minute one," Lancaster said. "Mike has been fantastic while Simon Hardy and Jon Callard have contributed fully to the tour. We will have a good sit down and think about the composition of the
coaching team going forward. Our next staging post is the EPS squad, which will be announced in a couple of weeks."
Lancaster was initially appointed on an interim basis for the 2012 Six Nations, but having put England back on the road to recovery, he has earned a permanent position. Catt went on the tour of South Africa on an interim basis, and his fate lies with the
Rugby Football Union.
Catt played 75 times for England, and won the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He became the oldest player to play in a World Cup final when he lined up against South Africa at the 2007 event. His credentials should earn him a permanent position within the England
back staff.
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