Steve Borthwick could inadvertently benefit from the civil war which has broken out at the RFU – as financial and governance chaos impacts on the hiring-and-firing culture in professional rugby.
England’s head coach has been under fierce scrutiny and pressure after presiding over just five wins from 12 Tests during a calendar year of profound under-achievement. Autumn defeats at home against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa led to speculation about potential regime change – but now that is taking place within the governing body rather than the national management team.
In theory, there is supposed to be an official performance review early in the New Year, but the union’s board and council may be far too busy with toxic in-fighting to spare much time for such distracting matters. And even if England stumble at the start of the Six Nations – away versus Ireland and in ‘Le Crunch’ against France at Twickenham – the RFU could be hurtling towards a seismic SGM and pre-occupied with its own internal meltdown and external unrest.
Frankly, how big a deal are Test defeats when the whole fabric of the game is collapsing all around? Maybe that’s what has saved Warren Gatland for now. The Kiwi who has done so much for Wales over so many years could do nothing more for them this year than watch helplessly as they stumbled through a record-breaking run of 12 international defeats. There have been many Welsh lows before, but the current predicament surely takes the cake.
Having opted to spare Gatland, Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Abi Tierney said last week: ‘Like any head coach in any sport, he knows the security of his position is directly related to the performances of the team.’ The facts suggest otherwise.
As with the RFU, the WRU are too busy fire-fighting on other fronts to deal with the awkward matter of finding a new coaching staff in a hurry. Executive director of rugby, Nigel Walker, has resigned – and it is difficult to keep up with how many apologies have been issued in Cardiff following grave revelations of institutionalised sexism. The regions are broke and ailing, and public interest in waning rapidly. So, this simply isn’t the time for a high-profile dismissal ‘by mutual agreement’.
Steve Borthwick could inadvertently benefit from the civil war which has broken out at the RFU
Although Wales have had an awful run, head coach Warren Gatland managed to keep his job
So, they have mutually agreed to soldier on, no doubt into more trouble. Wales launch the Six Nations in Paris against France, on Friday, January 31. Ouch. That is looming as an ordeal under floodlights and successive Test defeat No 13. What exactly is the cut-off point?
Perhaps, Gatland has also survived on account of how much it would cost to pay him off. Test head coaches of his standing are paid a handsome sum and their contractual notice periods are often 12 months. But the WRU are stuck in a financial black hole, so coughing up, say, £600,000 is a golden farewell they could scarcely afford.
Some under-performing coaches are simply too expensive to jettison, but there have also been a few examples of patience being richly rewarded. Take Pat Lam as an example. His position at Bristol was regarded as being in jeopardy just over a year ago, as the Bears had lost five in a row in the Premiership. But he held on to his job and now the West Country club are riding high and rampant, having just put a half-century of points on Leicester, away, to enhance their title charge.
There is no standard formula. The Tigers acted decisively to oust Dan McKellar after just one season in charge. Graham Rowntree was hustled out of Munster in a hurry and Toby Booth endured a similar fate at the Ospreys. George Skivington initially struggled at Gloucester but survived and is on a roll after a tactical rethink. Phil Dowson took time to settle at Northampton, then won the league. Now the heat is on others, notably Rob Baxter – despite having one of the best CVs in English rugby.
Joe Schmidt has again shown his genius by reviving the Wallabies against the odds, but there aren’t many in the super-coach category. Rassie Erasmus is certainly one, but not Eddie Jones, these days. Not Gatland. Not Borthwick. There are few untouchables out there.
The next few months will be an intriguing period in rugby’s hiring-and-firing circus. Gatland has so little to work with. The WRU will know that and the fact that miracle-makers are in short supply, even if a refresh of any sort might make some difference.
Borthwick cannot fall back on a limited-resources defence, so if the RFU sort out their civil war in a hurry (don’t hold your breath) then he could really do with a four-out-of-five return from the next Six Nations, to show that the regime is working, after a poor 2024. If England lose in Dublin on February 1, the head coach may have cause to offer a private prayer that an SGM is approaching, to distract whichever of his employers are still left in office by then.
If the RFU sort out their civil war then Borthwick may be under more pressure to deliver results
Feyi-Waboso’s injury an unwelcome setback for England
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso’s shoulder injury scare is another potential back-three setback for England, following on from the news that George Furbank could miss the start of the Six Nations.
The Exeter wing is awaiting medical updates on his damaged shoulder, days after it emerged that Henry Arundell is heading home from Racing 92 at the end of the season, to join Bath. He was the new flier who seemed destined to take the world by storm before having to find a new club in a hurry when London Irish went bust and ending up in Paris, which left him off-limits for Test selection.
His plan to relocate to the West Country is a shrewd one which can reignite his flagging form in a deadly Bath back line marshalled by Ben Spencer and Finn Russell. If the deal is confirmed in the coming weeks, perhaps there could be justification to allow Arundell to be picked in the Six Nations.
That would seem like a common-sense option – which makes it unlikely. If he is still off-limits and Feyi-Waboso is sidelined, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Sleightholme and Tom Roebuck will vie for the wing places. At least there are options, unlike at outside centre, where there are a dearth of new, surging contenders.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso’s shoulder injury is another potential back-three setback for England
Mack Hansen makes feelings known
Mack Hansen has put the cat amongst the pigeons with a post-match rant about officiating in Dublin, after his Connacht team lost 20-12 against Leinster. In essence, it was a heart-felt lament about how the perceived lesser side always seem to come off worse. ‘It’s bulls***,’ said Hansen, after taking a question which had been directed at his head coach, Pete Wilkins. ‘We never get any calls, ever. I feel it’s got to be spoken about.’
Of course, he will find himself in trouble for his aggrieved outburst. Publicly criticising officials is taboo, but Hansen’s comments should at least prompt some measured analysis because, let’s be honest, he does have a point.
At the last World Cup, Samoa head coach Seilala Mapusua spoke about referees’ ‘unconscious bias’ after his team were denied a famous win over England. He had a point too.
Steve Diamond touched on the same subject after his Newcastle team lost at home against Bath on Saturday, saying: ‘If you are top of the league, you get the rub of the green.’
Again, it is a valid observation, even if it will be frowned upon. Certain teams appear to benefit from more than their fair share of close calls. Leinster are in that category and the All Blacks have often been able to don invisibility cloaks and evade justice. Here’s hoping that the authorities privately heed Hansen’s concerns and study the issue, even if they gleefully throw the book at him.
Mack Hansen made his feelings about officials known following Connacht’s defeat by Leinster
Newcastle Falcons coach Steve Diamond hinted officials are biased towards stronger teams
Ealing success is great for Premiership strugglers
There was a great result for the Premiership on Saturday, in Coventry – as the hosts were beaten by visitors Ealing Trailfinders in the top-of-the-table Championship clash. There is a long way to go, but that win puts the West London club in the box-seat to claim the second-tier title again. That in turn means that the strugglers in the top division are more likely to escape the spectre of relegation for yet another season.
In principle, Ealing’s players have been told that the club intends to apply for the right to be promoted, but in practice the suspicion is that – with no official declaration of intent yet – they will be content to stay where they are. Coventry announced their bid to go up and arguably have better infrastructure in place at their Butts Park Arena, while they also have better support, as illustrated by an attendance of 4,500 on Saturday. But they don’t have a better squad; that is Ealing’s trump card.
So, the best team probably can’t be promoted and the clubs best logistically able for make the leap – Coventry and Doncaster – probably won’t win the league. Expect the status quo to remain in place. How cosy and convenient. There hasn’t been an orthodox relegation from the Premiership (as opposed to the disciplinary demotion for Saracens) since 2019. A safety net remains in place. Those who value the concept of a true meritocracy will find something else to follow.
THE LAST WORD…
Sir Bill Beaumont’s willingness to step into the fray and bid to unite the warring factions within the RFU and English rugby is admirable. He has only had a month off since finishing an eight-year stint as World Rugby chairman. At the age of 72, it would have been reasonable to fade quietly into the background, to enjoy more leisure time and casual visits to games as a spectator.
However, having agreed to step in as interim chairman of a union in turmoil, his ideal legacy would be to force those within the shady, shambolic governing body to recognise the vital need to overhaul personnel and behaviour. Beaumont should consciously lead the quest to install a younger, more progressive hierarchy, and for bold proclamations about transparency to actually mean something. So far, it has all been hollow talk.
Sir Bill Beaumont’s decision to step into the fray within the RFU and English rugby is admirable
The RFU has turned into a place where the powers-that-be deceive, divert and hide. It is not the way a governing body should behave. Enough. It has to change. Beaumont should not be in place for long, because if he has a really profound impact, the best outcome would be a swift and decisive transformation. Anything less and the union will remain utterly unfit for purpose and undeserving of truth.
Frankly, rather than just trying to smooth a few rough edges and paper over cracks, it would be better to demolish the whole unwieldy edifice and start from scratch. It is high time to become a modern, dynamic sporting organisation which operates in the light, not a bureaucratic mess which skulks in the shadows.
