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Thu 12 Nov 2015 | 09:24
Recap and Press Conference after Stuart Lancaster steps away from coaching England

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The RFU confirmed yesterday that Stuart Lancaster has stepped down from his role as England Head Coach. It was stated that the decision was made by mutual consent. This follows England's disappointing World Cup campaign, that saw them knocked out in the pool stages.

"I am obviously extremely saddened to finish the way we did in this World Cup and to step down from the role." said Lancaster. 

"As I have always said, I ultimately accept and take responsibility for the team's performance and we have not delivered the results we all hoped for during this tournament. I did, however, want to take part in the review to ensure I understood the views of others before making a decision.

"The reality is that, while many aspects of the review were very positive, we didn’t achieve success on the field when it mattered and we all have to take responsibility for that but me especially as head coach.

"I took on the role in difficult circumstances and it has been a huge challenge to transition the team with many hurdles along the way. However, I am immensely proud of the development of this team and I know that there is an incredibly strong foundation for them to progress to great things in the future.

"We have played some excellent rugby and it was always going to be tough to get the right level of experience into them in time for 2015. It is a young group of players with the huge majority available for the Rugby World Cup in Japan in 2019, where I believe their recent experience will make them genuine contenders.

"I would like to thank the players, coaches, management and everyone at the RFU for their commitment, support and hard work in my time as head coach. But most of all, I would like to thank the England rugby fans, who have always backed us and given us amazing support.

"The team feels a close connection with everyone across the grassroots game, which has been important to us all."

The recruitment process has already begun, with a few names being thrown around as possibles to take over. RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie has alluded to the fact that money is no object, and they are seeking a head coach with international credentials.

Above is a recap of the resignation, while below is a full audio recording (33:28) of the press conference with Ritchie and RFU Chairman, Bill Beaumont.

Posted By: Grant Constable

9 Comments

  • 10stonenumber10
    1:26 AM 14/11/2015

    There is an attack, defence coach, forwards and backs coach... what about a backyard skills coach?

    Trickshot technician. It has a nice ring to it.

    Speaking of rings, I may not have experience coaching rugby, but have seen the Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Extended edition) several times. In the age of spiritual and holistic performance training... this could be beneficial to unlocking the secrets of the New Zealand playbook.

    All I ask is minimum wage and a personalised England vape pen for when I can't smoke inside.

    How about it RFU?

  • jimmy23
    2:52 PM 13/11/2015

    I think I'd prefer Eddie Jones over Jake White. If this World Cup has proven anything, it's that 10-man rugby simply doesn't cut it anymore. I think get Mike Ford in as an assistant under them so he can learn from the best then after 2019, get him in.

  • colombes
    11:13 AM 13/11/2015

    Lancaster was already condemned before being officially condemned, isn't it?
    Don't really know who should be chosen for the job? Big CV like Eddie Jones and Jake White OR an english bet with Mallinder or Baxter.

    Personally, i would go with Mike Ford because he would continue Lancaster positive rugby and give confidence to his number10 of son and guys like Joseph, Watson, Slade and Nowell

  • stroudos
    8:23 AM 13/11/2015

    That sounds unfortunately familiar. I remember a very similar phrase being used with another name quite frequently around the spring of 2008...

  • i_bleed_green_and_gold
    1:50 AM 13/11/2015

    Let Jonny Wilko coach them. He knows how to win. I know he is not a coach, but he is a great ambassador of English rugby. Might even bring in some non-English fans.

  • oldflyhalf
    7:54 PM 12/11/2015

    "There was no need for Ritchie to go the way of Lancaster, because much of the work done under his leadership has been constructive. The hunch he backed with Lancaster turned out to be a losing bet but punishing him with dismissal would only add to the chaos. The World Cup worked brilliantly. Only the England team spoiled the show."

    "Although it will solve the immediate problem - fill the experience gap - hiring a coach from New Zealand, Australia or South Africa will qualify as an indignity - and point to a failure in coach development. International sport, after all, is meant to be the players, coaches and fans of Country A against the players, coaches and fans of Country B. But this notion has been shredded by expediency, and, in this case, English weakness.

    Should Eddie Jones, say, take the job, then two of the three big England teams would be coached by Australians. There is nothing parochial about recognising the absurdity of such an arrangement."
    - Daily Telegraph UK.

  • eddie-g
    5:33 PM 12/11/2015

    They were wasted years from the pov that a pretty green squad went to the RWC. I can't comment on the wider development of the game, but that really isn't Lancaster's job.

    But it is a prime job - it'll probably be the best paid coaching job in the world, there is a large pool of professional players, excellent facilities, and a guaranteed dozen top games in the calendar each year.

    There's always politics to navigate, but the new man can start with a clean slate, bring in his own team, and work to a four-year plan. But the big names will also shake up the system. I keep on bringing up Jake White, but he tangled with the heavily politicized SA system, I can only imagine how much he'd relish picking some fights with RFU suits.

  • drg
    4:45 PM 12/11/2015

    It really is the perfect job for a coach who enjoys a challenge.

    England are one of the top tier nations: So international wins are always on the cards.
    it's the perfect time for a new coach to step in: Right after a World cup, therefore 4 years until the next one.
    There is a lot of youth available: Plenty of material to work with.

    And going back to the first point, being a tier 1 nation, the money and facilities are all there to play with.

    I wonder what is going to be left of Lancasters legacy. I said in another comment somewhere that SL seemed to be making all the right moves early on in his England stint, there was that feeling of "England are almost there"... then instead of reaching the top, it all came crumbling down like a house of cards... So what is left? Probably a handful of extremely miffed centres who have had their confidence knocked out of them due to get sidelined, very talented wings (Jack Nowell being one of them), who again are probably feeling a bit ****. A Captain 7, who shouldn't be a captain or a 7....and no decent hooker...

    Of course attitudes/morale can be turned around, but it doesn't look good and from an outsider, it looks like Englands last 4 years have been a bit wasted...

  • eddie-g
    3:30 PM 12/11/2015

    The World Cup performances weren't good enough, let alone the results, and the Burgess debacle the last straw. Lancaster seemed like a decent bloke, but the World Cup was always going to be his litmus test.

    If they want a head coach with international credentials, that means they are going to be looking abroad - at least I can't see any English candidates who have that in their CV.

    And if they do go for a big name international coach, a shake-up in the RFU is only just beginning. Jake White, for example, will not want any "director of rugby" potentially meddling in team affairs; he will want to select overseas players (who meet certain conditions, I imagine), and any club-v-country nonsense will be met head-on.

    But it's still a big job that, despite certain statements already made by the likes of Eddie Jones, few top coaches will turn down.

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