Wait goes on as RFU chiefs meet for the final time over England job

 
Leading candidate for the job: Stuart Lancaster
27 March 2012

Ian Ritchie and his four-man panel were meeting for the final time today to choose between Stuart Lancaster and Nick Mallett as new England rugby coach.

It is understood Lancaster, who guided the team to second in the Six Nations as interim head coach, and former Italy boss Mallett remain locked in a tight battle for the role.

The pair have been told to expect a decision at the end of this week with Ritchie, who has only just taken over as Rugby Football Union chief executive, having the final say after today’s meeting with his advisory panel.

Ritchie and his team of Sir Ian McGeechan, Rob Andrew, Richard Hill and Conor O’Shea listened to both men pitch for the job last week.

However, rumours within the game that 2003 World Cup-winning coach Sir Clive Woodward is to “mentor” Lancaster if he gets the nod are understood to be well wide of the mark.

With three Test matches in South Africa looming in June, it is imperative Ritchie ends the speculation, however, both men would be happy to appoint New Zealander Wayne Smith as backs coach and keep Graham Rowntree in charge of the forwards.

As Lancaster waits to learn his fate, the man who led Wales to Grand Slam glory, Warren Gatland, has received backing from the Welsh Rugby Union to lead the Lions on next summer’s tour of Australia.

The WRU are keen to ensure Gatland’s work with them remains the top priority. The New Zealander is the overwhelming favourite to lead the Lions Down Under, especially after winning his second Grand Slam earlier this month.

WRU chief executive Roger Lewis admitted today that informal talks have been held but has outlined his desire to ensure Gatland does not abandon his Wales duties by way of preparation for 2013 should he be given the nod.

“We have had informal discussions with the British and Irish Lions over the last few months and we have talked to Warren about this for the best part of a year,” Lewis said.

“Warren does not have a clause in his contract which contains provision for him to coach the Lions but we are hugely supportive of him and them.

“What I will say is that there is no question that Warren will not be leading Wales on our very important tour to Australia and I, personally, would like him to be involved in our autumn Tests against New Zealand and Australia in Cardiff.”

Meanwhile, England received notice of the improvement required by their Sevens team ahead of the next Olympics — in Brazil in four years’ time — when they lost a third-fourth play-off 28-0 against South Africa at the HSBC Hong Kong Sevens yesterday.

British mens and womens teams will represent the Four Home Nations in Brazil and while Olympic organisers want the biggest names in rugby, specialist Sevens players will be needed in the bid for gold.

England left Hong Kong for Tokyo today lying fourth in the Sevens series on 89 points behind leaders New Zealand (111), Fiji (109) and South Africa (93).

After this weekend’s leg in Japan, the Sevens series finishes with tournaments in Glasgow (May 5-6) and Twickenham (May 12-13) and head coach Ben Ryan believes his players have to make the step up to the level that has taken New Zealand and Fiji clear at the top. Fiji were crowned champions in Hong Kong with a brutal 38-25 victory over New Zealand in front of 40,000 fans.

Ryan, whose team are in the same pool as Fiji in Tokyo, said: “We had our highest penalty count in any Sevens event and we will have to look at why that was. We defended for what seemed the entire 14 minutes against South Africa.

“We were the only Northern Hemisphere team in the semi-finals but it is also true to say that we are not quite there yet when it comes to being the best side in competition.

“We need to make that next step and be knocking over the leading teams on a regular basis. It’s a mental and physical thing and we just have to work harder. There is nothing to slit our wrists about.”

Wing Dan Norton moved to the top of the series try-scoring chart by taking his total to 29 but like the rest of the team, the wing was battered into submission by Fiji in the semi-finals, losing 14-7.

Mat Turner, England’s most consistent player, recognised an opportunity had been missed and said: “It’s never nice losing especially in front of a crowd like this when two-thirds of them are cheering for us and you feel you’ve let them down.”

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