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December 1, 2011

Posted on 12/01/2011

RFU begins salvage operation

The apologies were strangely soothing but there were echoes of the bad old Twickenham days of cosy back-scratching at yesterday's Rugby Football Union press conference, according to The Guardian's Rob Kitson.

"Some may even be inclined to view Wednesday 30 November as the day the RFU finally came to its senses and changed direction. Until, that is, they read the morning papers. The RFU's decision to retain Rob Andrew in a senior role, effectively bolting the door on any possible return by Sir Clive Woodward, was just one of a raft of policy decisions made at a directors' board meeting that lasted virtually all day. It threatens, nevertheless, to propel the union straight back into the same old hole it has been lying in for months.
"What has realistically altered, the hordes will cry, if Andrew is still involved in identifying both England's caretaker coach and the new head coach? Who will be in place before the South Africa tour in June? The public perception, whether unfair or not, is that Andrew is not a man whose rugby vision is as far-sighted as it should be. That widespread lack of trust could yet undermine the best efforts of Metcalfe and Stephen Brown, the new acting chief executive, to restore English rugby's reputation on and off the field.

"It is a pity because, in most other respects, common sense is finally threatening to win the day. Correctly, it has been decided not to rush the appointment of a head coach. There is no desire, either, to have a performance director hovering over the head coach's shoulder. Instead, the new man will report directly to the chief executive. "The direct relationship is important," Metcalfe emphasised. "Most head coaches will say: 'I don't want a buffer; I don't mind having accountability as long as I have responsibility.'"

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