Press reports coming out of the UK suggest that caretaker coach Stuart Lancaster has pipped former Bok mentor Nick Mallett to the vacant England head coaching job.
It’s anticipated that the RFU will formally announce Lancaster’s accession to the permanent post at a press conference later today. His run of good results, with a young side, in this year’s RBS 6 Nations seem to have won him the job, with England only losing once en route to a second-place overall finish.
Mallett, who has recently returned to South Africa after a stint coaching Italy, was initially the front-runner for the job, but with the majority of the players backing Lancaster, the RFU have arguably made the best decision in terms of continuity ahead of England’s summer tour to South Africa.
The question in most rugby pundits’ minds, though, will be “what next for Nick Mallett?”.
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The question in most rugby pundits’ minds, though, will be “what next for Nick Mallett?”
Indeed! And just to preempt all other comments of the sort: “The Sharks should get out their cheque book!” 😈
The players wishes must have been the deciding factor.
ok, so let’s open this up. Would we want Mallett, if by some chance he was available for the job and we decided that Plumtree shouldn’t continue?
Yes and No.
I was a huge fan when he coached Boland.
He did not get much right at WP.
He, undoubtedly, can add huge value to ANY team but the method that it is added is the thing that just may not work so well with the Sharks.
On the one hand I yes but something holds me back from fully endorsing him,,,,,I think that something may have to do with Teich.
Where is Brendan Venter? 👿
@Salmonoid (Comment 4) : “He did not get much right at WP” … it seems not many can! 😯
Lancaster has a confirmed 4 year contract. Mallet is a free agent.
@Ben (Comment 5) : Hopefully nowhere near even THINKING about being the Sharks coach.
@Ben (Comment 5) : he is still DoR at Saracens and Assistant coach to Dawie Theron with the Baby Boks.
@robdylan (Comment 3) : We decided? We have that much influence?!? 😯 😛
@KSA Shark © (Comment 10) : I wish
Wonder how mallet as DoR and Plum has head coach would pan out…
@Culling Song (Comment 12) : I don’t see it happening…
@Culling Song (Comment 12) : If Mallet is used it must be as hands on coach, he was DoR at the Stormers when he headhunted Kobus vd Merwe (I think that’s his name, 😳 ) from Griquas. That was not a wise move.
@Salmonoid (Comment 14) : agree… I’m actually starting to lean away from these “faceless/purposeless” DoR type figures who don’t really seem to do much of anything.
Question: Have either the Bulls or the Stormers opted to replace their outgoing D’soR? Has either side even so much as hinted at looking to replace them?
@robdylan (Comment 15) : No I dont think so, maybe the baggage master takes care of those duties now.
I ran into him (Nick) at Builder’s Warehouse a month ago, he said if he did not get the England job he would move back to France. He did say that he wanted to end to coaching career in SA though. No guessing which team I asked him to please coach before he retires:-).He also said that he rates HM highly.
@GreatSharksays (Comment 17) : yes he rates heyneke he employed him as his forwards coach at both wp & the boks.
heyneke has only good things to say about nick, who was the guy who actually advised him to go to the bulls after heyneke did well coaching the SWD eagles.
@robdylan (Comment 3) : To be honest, we could do a lot worse.
I wouldn’t mind him at the Sharks. He is imo, in the same mould as Mitchell. The hard hitting, no nonsence type of coach. If you don’t cut it, you WILL find yourself working harder to get back into the team.
Plum is maybe to conservative to make big changes.
Just my Zim-bob.
So England decided its better to keep the players happy than to win the World Cup
Mallet is a very good coach, who doesn’t take shit, and who would employ the right team around him. And that is just where I can see a potential problem in that it’s likely that he and Stroolsie don’t exactly sit around the same campfire.
Anybody know the politics between the two?
@rhineshark (Comment 22) : Can`t we replace Stroolsie then?
If the Sharks were looking to get a new coach i would like to see us go for Joe Schmidt from Leinster. He is primarily a backline/skills coach which would really help our side and has done really well with Leinster. Then we could get an excellent forwards coach, or even keep Plum there.
@Mutley (Comment 21) : Mallets track record at winning the world cup is not that great – its obvious that the team and the decision makers feel that they can work well and improve under Lancaster.
@Salmonoid (Comment 25) : when john kirwan put his hand up for the england job they said he lacked international experience, yet they’ve gone and picked a guy who has only 5 games in this year’s six nations as his track record 🙄
that hardly makes sense!
@Megatron (Comment 26) : Agreed, it makes no sense. Martin Johnson made even less sense.
@Megatron (Comment 26) : It’s England – who knows what they’re thinking – he probably makes a mean cucumber sandwich or something.