What now?

So... humiliation at our own world cup. What went wrong? How can we fix it? These are the questions that need answering and fast if we are to rise back to the top where we should be.

At a time like this, fingers must be pointed and heads must roll. The two people most responsible are of course Lancaster and Farrell. In the four years under their management we have achieved nothing despite having a huge wealth of talent come through. Reports are already circling that Farrell has been calling the shots for a long time, and that Lancaster has lost the dressing room and perhaps even his coaching staff because of this. I have alot of respect for Rowntree but he has been in his role eight years now and we seem to have gone backwards recently, so I think and feel a clean slate is needed. The RFU must sack and pay off Lancaster, Farrell, Catt, Rowntree and get rid of Rob Andrew. I don't necessarily believe Richie has to go, but he needs to appoint and fully back a new head coach.

Now that the ugly business is done we need a new coaching set-up but before looking at that we should look at why we have failed since Sir Clive to have any form of success.
Every appointment has been an RFU man, be it Robinson (SCW's right hand man), Ashton (another of Sir Clive's coaches), Johnson (a complete novice appointed solely on the respect he had earned from captaining England) and now Lancaster (another vastly inexperienced guy appointed perhaps because Andrew respected him). You can see a clear pattern here, inexperience, and it has cost us the huge opportunity to grow the game domestically that this WC should have been. We need a world class coaching set-up if we are to succeed, if you are in any doubt about how vital this is look at the current Irish national side and then the French national side. If you were (as a neutral Ding) to suggest one nation had better talent then you would choose France yet they have been collecting a wooden spoon while Ireland march on to 6N titles. A man like Schmidt is exactly what we need and it isn't a bad thing to acknowledge that a foreign coach can do a better job than a current English one. It should be a complete meritocracy and we need to go after the very best that we can get. Once we have decided who should lead us forward, they need to be given complete control over the coaching set-up and other key decisions. However, our non-selection policy of foreign based English players should not be changed. It is there for a very good reason and it has to stay.

So who should we go after? We have (way) more money than any other union and as such we should use it to get whoever we want. As I look at the Premiership, there is nobody standing out to me. Baxter has done a decent job, Ford too but I am not filled with confidence that either of these guys could achieve success as head coach of England. A quick glance around our NH rivals and of course I would love Schmidt but his ties to Ireland run too deep I think, if he were to leave them it would only be for the AB's. Warren Gatland? Aside from the RFU keeping Lancaster there is nothing I would want less. So we need to look at the SH coaches and there are some really outstanding guys who could have a huge impact.

Jake White - Lead SA to the world cup amongst a number of other very notable achievements in the game. Currently at Montpellier as a director, I am sure could be lured to HQ.
Eddie Jones - For Wallaby coach who has been at this WC coaching our new favourite 2nd team, Japan. He has just signed on with the Stormers. A deal could be worked out if it was desired on both sides.
Nick Mallett - The former Springbok and Italy coach currently out of work. I am certain he could do a good job with England and has been heavily linked with the role in the past.
Graham Henry - Lead NZ through what I see as a golden age (despite a very painful QF exit in Cardiff we all remember). Currently helping Argentina and would be a great choice, although he is nearly 70 and perhaps would not want the project.

If I was making the selection then it would be one of these two guys, but preferably both.

Dave Rennie - Quite brilliant and very highly respected current coach of the Chiefs in New Zealand. He has won two Super Rugby titles in this time and has transformed them into (imo) the best side in the competition. He would be my first choice by a huge distance.

Wayne Smith - Current right hand man of Rennie at the Chiefs and also Hansen with the AB's. Whilst I would like him to come as assistant to Rennie I would also be happy for him to be given the lead role. Has been heavily linked with the job in the past.

These two men would change English rugby, I am absolutely certain of it. Added to that, they would do it in style.