Paul Rees questions the RFU's lack of patience and the potential problems in the return of Clive Woodward to a role with England in The Guardian.
"Given the dystopian state of the England national set-up, it is little surprise that there are calls for Sir Clive Woodward, the architect of the 2003 World Cup success, to come riding back to the rescue. History is all there is to cling on to after another season of arch-mediocrity, one in which more Tests were lost than won.
"The Rugby Football Union is getting twitchy, wondering how long it will continue to get away with charging up to £85 for a seat at Twickenham and providing so little in return. Woodward has an obvious appeal: a track record, a capacity for making headlines and an innovative approach. Appointing him would amount to being seen to do something, never mind that it has reacted to failure in the past six years by constantly chopping and changing.
"Woodward would hardly come back in his old role so Rob Andrew, the RFU's director of elite rugby, is being offered by some as the fall guy. The title should be grand enough for Woodward, but job description would matter little if Twickenham persuaded the knight to mount his charger. He would identify himself with the England team and effectively become its head again."
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