The attempted recruitment of a permanent England head coach by the RFU demonstrates that, despite the arrival of a new CEO, it is very much a question of business as usual. By 'business as usual' I mean, of course, the same old farcical incompetence that we’ve all come to know and love.
The story so far…
1. Stuart Lancaster is appointed interim head coach for the Six Nations;
2. The RFU appoints executive search firm, Odgers, to conduct a worldwide search for the best man for the job;
3. Odgers appear to come up with a shortlist that most of us could have put together in 5 minutes over a pint;
4. England start the Six Nations with a largely rookie squad and record 2 wins away from home before narrowly losing to Wales at Twickenham;
5. New CEO Ian Rich-tea announces that Lancaster will be interviewed for the job during the Six Nations with a view to making an announcement before the end of the Six Nations;
6. Lancaster, meanwhile, is expected to prepare his team for difficult fixtures against France and Ireland, the results of which, we are led to believe, will have no bearing on whether or not he is offered the job;
7. Ian Rich-tea announces that, actually, the RFU are in no rush, that it is important that they get the right man for the job and that they will, if necessary, look outside the shortlist of applicants;
8. Former South African coach, Jake White, indicates that he has been approached by the RFU, flirts with the possibility of trying to win the World Cup for a second time, and then publicly rejects the role via Twitter.
So far Lancaster is making a decent fist of rebuilding the England team. The way the RFU are handling the appointment, however, it looks increasingly as if, even if he is offered the permanent job, he will be very much perceived as the RFU's last resort.
Plus ça change. Plus c'est la même chose.
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