Comments on: Post-World Cup coaching merry go round

By: Stuart Peel

Stuart Peel — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:03:03 +0000

It’s a little known fact that Foot and Mouth was deliberately introduced into England that year by blind Australian referee Stuart Dickinson.

By: Rob Watson

Rob Watson — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 22:29:33 +0000

In your plethora of talent you forgot Gareth Jenkins,ha ha ha ha ha!

I agree with Justin – Deano’s the man and should have been when Robinson was sacked, but with Ashton as attack coach. We were a class act in 2001 with Ashton coaching under Woodward when only foot and mouth disease could deny us a Grand Slam.

By: Justin

Justin — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 12:48:21 +0000

I think the answer is in the question Stuart – ‘SCOTLAND’S player of the year…’

By: Stuart Peel

Stuart Peel — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 10:38:32 +0000

I think you are forgetting about former Scotland coach Matt Williams. He was tremendous. I have never laughed so much in 80 minutes as I used to in Scotland games when he was coach.

On that point (and completely irrelevant to this discussion), how have the Lamont brothers won Scotland’s player of the year award for the past 2 years? I think that must be a wind up.

By: Mick

Mick — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 02:39:23 +0000

Jake white is the best coach in the world, no doubt

By: malvino

malvino — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 22:12:56 +0000

Looking back to 2003 and the buildup to it – I’d like to see Dean Richards in the Clive Woodward role, Brian Ashton in Andy Robinson’s, Rob Andrew playing the role of the 57 old farts.

By: Stuart Peel

Stuart Peel — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 21:28:02 +0000

Apparently Sir Clive has made inquiries about the Australia job. Hopefully he’s trying to bring them down from within (althought they’re at a fairly low ebb anyway).

Definitely agree that Ashton should remain as coach but should be left to do just that with someone else doing the media and boardroom stuff. Number one choice is for Johnno to be installed as manager, coach, captain and Prime Minister but think he’s busy cleaning up on the after dinner circuit.

By: Justin

Justin — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:53:40 +0000

I think you have to bring in a team manager to sit alongside Ashton, not above, not below. Ashton by all accounts is a magician on the pitch, and his coaching is where he is most at home. We should use these qualities best by leaving him where he can be most effective. A team manager would be able to take care of everything off the pitch, such as the admin, the political wrangling, the contract negotiations, etc.

I think there’s no-one better than Dean Richards. He could also bring an extra aspect from a forwards coaching perspective which would be invaluable.

By: Rob Douglas

Rob Douglas — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:11:07 +0000

I think we should try and get Jake White.

Ashton’s done wonders, and a manager has to be judged by his results, whether he is the primary reason behind them or not, but there are still question marks.

He deserves to be kept in the setup, but he just doesn’t seem to inspire and an outside vision is required to take the team forward.

By: James

James — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 13:10:54 +0000

Indeed he has. He was appointed a few months ago when Pat Howard announced he was leaving.

By: Nick

Nick — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:21:21 +0000

Hasn’t Loffreda just joined Leicester too?

By: James

James — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 10:24:16 +0000

And Woodward has just joined the board at Leicester Tigers, although he is reported to have applied for the Australia job.

Can’t imagine he’ll have much time on his hands, what with directing Olympic elite performance.

How will he fit in coaching a team that are on a par with Fiji?