How can Lancaster’s greatest admirer decide his future?
Sir Ian McGeechan helped select England’s coach, so...
LITTle more than a month before england began their least successful World Cup campaign in history, a very thorough book entitled The House of Lancaster was published.
In it, author neil squires, a respected newspaper rugby correspondent, chronicled stuart lancaster’s remarkable rise from burger flipper, Pe teacher and saxons coach to one of the most influential figures inside the world’s most commercially powerful union.
On the front cover of the unauthorised biography, a quote from three-times winning lions coach sir Ian McGeechan — a man hugely admired in rugby — hails the ‘fascinating behind-the- scenes insight into the transformation stuart lancaster has effected’.
later, McGeechan describes the ‘easy decision’ he made when given the task — as one of four men alongside rFU chief executive Ian ritchie, Harlequins director of rugby Conor O’shea and 2003 World Cup winner richard Hill — of recommending the next england head coach in 2012.
‘We talked together and decided on the type of personality needed and the things that needed to be looked at,’ said McGeechan.
‘The way stuart was talking was excellent for that. The changes he was proposing and the parameters he was setting were spot on.
‘At the same time you could see how he was progressing the environment, which was a powerful argument for him getting the job. A lot of my thinking was like his so, for me, it was an easy decision in some ways.’
A year later he recommended lancaster’s remit be widened by backing him to be the rFU’s new head of international player development. McGeechan is unequivocally a lancaster supporter.
so it should have come as no surprise to ritchie — another with his colours pinned to lancaster’s mast — that english rugby reacted with incredulity when McGeechan’s name appeared alongside his own on the review panel set up to decide the future of the man they both appointed.
The primary aim of the review, the findings of which will be presented to the rFU board on november 17, is to ‘ review the effectiveness of the coaching, management and support team’.
But we already know what at least one member of the panel will recommend.
In his foreword to The House of Lancaster, McGeechan said: ‘ The paths of stuart lancaster and I have crossed in many ways, of course all associated with rugby.
‘These crossings have been at each of the different stages of stuart’s rugby journey and particu- larly in coaching. We have shared notes as club coaches — him with leeds, me with Wasps — as well as at Academy meetings with his role at the rugby Football Union and most recently in the process of him becoming england head coach.
‘stuart and I also share an association with one club, leeds (or in my day Headingley). I have returned to the club, now known as Yorkshire Carnegie, to carry on with stuart’s legacy of player development, which he left in fine shape. We have many similarities in approach and as a reader you will find his journey uplifting.’
In his own newspaper column, McGeechan made it clear he has no appetite for change after england’s record home defeat by Australia confirmed their active participation in their own World Cup would last only 16 days.
‘england have a strong coaching team in lancaster, Andy Farrell and Graham rowntree. I cannot see anything better out there which is readily available,’ wrote McGeechan. Minor quibbles over selection aside, he has backed lancaster at every turn — before, during and since the World Cup.
The non- selection of steffon Armitage and other overseas players? ‘ england are doing the right thing.’
The selection of rugby league convert sam Burgess after 10 months in union? ‘entirely the correct decision.’
It is making no criticism of McGeechan’s excellent character and standing in the game to say he is absolutely, indisputably the wrong man to review an appointment he himself made and would look foolish overturning.
Other positions on the panel can also be questioned. ritchie awarded lancaster and his coaching team of Farrell, Mike Catt and rowntree six-year contracts in 2014. Why?
england’s World Cup winner Ben Kay, one of the sport’s outstanding analysts, remains a leicester board member while commentating for ITV and spent many years playing alongside rowntree for leicester and england. Professional Game Board chairman Ian Metcalfe and former FA chief executive Ian Watmore are the two who retain most credibility, although questions will be asked of Watmore’s right to make calls on rugby matters.
But it is McGeechan’s name that stands out. Whether a radical overhaul is required or not, McGeechan is not the right man to make an unbiased assessment.
‘stuart has created an environment both inside and outside the england team that is stronger than any of his predecessors managed,’ he said before the World Cup. ‘What stuart has given to everyone involved with england is a reason to believe.’
looks like sir Ian will be the judge of that.