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An ex-Test player claims Rob Baxter is 'wrong man for England job'
Ex-England international Austin Healey has explained why he feels Rob Baxter would be the wrong man to succeed Eddie Jones as the Test team’s coach, suggesting instead that Saracens’ Mark McCall would be the better choice to take over after the 2023 World Cup. The RFU last week outlined their idea as to what they would be looking for in a coach to take on the position from Jones, whose existing contract ends after the tournament in France.
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This has started a succession race and Baxter curiously took questions on the topic at his weekly media briefing last Wednesday morning, admitting that he would be prepared to meet with English rugby chiefs to discuss their succession plans for Jones’ departure as England head coach but insisting clarity over the nature of the role was needed.
“I would be happy to have a chat about what the role is, how they see it working and what their plans and ambitions are,” Baxter said about the England vacancy post the 2023 World Cup. “Unless you know what it is, it’s hard to say yes or no to anything. At the same time, I’m not looking for another job! I’m very happy here.”
Former utility back Healey reckons Exeter is exactly where Baxter will remain as McCall has the better long term track record for delivering success. Writing in his latest UK Telegraph column, Healey wondered if this season’s inconsistent Gallagher Premiership form by the Chiefs in the race for the playoffs has prompted Baxter into pondering for the first time about a role away from Sandy Park.
“With Baxter, this is the first season where Exeter have not shown signs of progress… It is not in Exeter’s hands anymore, which is a situation which Baxter will not be used to. But if you lose as many games at home as they have this season, then you arguably don’t deserve to be in the top four anyway.
“Maybe this has led to Baxter thinking about his future, because I don’t think I have heard him answer that question about England before. And it has definitely been thrown at him many times over the years with Exeter’s success, whether he would like to coach England. I think Baxter could definitely do the job. But if the RFU is looking for a director of rugby, then perhaps Saracens’ Mark McCall would be the better option.
“If you are looking for someone to put a coaching team together, then McCall has a better and longer track record of doing that. You either want a director of rugby who with few resources gets the best out of a side – like Steve Diamond or, for a better example, Warren Gatland from his time with Wales – or someone who is used to having lots of resources like McCall.
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“I’m not sure the way Exeter are currently playing would work at Test level either,” added Healey later in his column on who the next England coach should be. “In internationals, you do not take those risks in your own half with maintaining possession for long periods of time, because the intensity is higher. Your fitness levels would need to be off the charts if you wanted to play that way.
“You are better off playing with that intensity, making a big impact over three to four phases, in the opposition’s half. I don’t think Exeter’s attacking game at present would work with England. They are too lateral across the backline. But their red-zone approach from three years ago certainly would. Having said all that, Baxter would adapt to whatever was required.
“I certainly don’t subscribe to the theory that Baxter has taken Exeter as far as he can. He could find another way to create success at Sandy Park, having already taken them from the second tier to becoming champions of Europe. They are one of the top sides on the continent because of Baxter’s planning and longevity.
“They do not make rash decisions or jump for the next shiny thing. He could be there for another ten years and Exeter would keep progressing under him. Unless, he has come to the point where he wants a new challenge in life. By the time 2023 rolls around, he might view England as a natural next step.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
27 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
27 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments