Warren Gatland among candidates to succeed Eddie Jones with England

[fivepointer]

Cockers would be fun. Dont think it would take too long before he ruffled some feathers. Mind you, Eddie isnt exactly a model of studied diplomacy.

[Oakboy]

Deano, Walder and Sanderson together would be my choice but I'm not sure if any have ruled themselves out as McCall and Baxter have done (reportedly).

[Stom]

Deano has ruled himself out repeatedly.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

No-one's going to fall for that

I'm actually deadly serious. I mean there are better coaches (Hansen, Schmidt amongst them) but I don't think there is an English coach who is unarguably better. In fact I'm reasonably confident there isn't one with a better record. He has instantly improved Edinburgh from perennial whipping boys looking like they were going to be battling with the Italians and the Dragons to a team leading the pack behind the big boys. I also think he knows what he's good at and what he needs help with and I think the English fans will admire his honesty.

[Puja]

No-one's going to fall for that

I'm actually deadly serious. I mean there are better coaches (Hansen, Schmidt amongst them) but I don't think there is an English coach who is unarguably better. In fact I'm reasonably confident there isn't one with a better record. He has instantly improved Edinburgh from perennial whipping boys looking like they were going to be battling with the Italians and the Dragons to a team leading the pack behind the big boys. I also think he knows what he's good at and what he needs help with and I think the English fans will admire his honesty.

You know, the more I think about it, the more I like the idea. His downfall at Leicester was very much about things getting stale and him being unable to change it up (understandable after 8 years and with the systemic issues at Leicester). He's had experience in the other two top European leagues and has learned a bit since then as well.

If we got him with the right team around him, then I'd actually be in favour of that.

Puja

[Raggs]

Cockers also strikes me as a passion sort of guy. The sort of message that can wear thin, week in, week out, over years, but far more effective in the shorter bursts of international.

[Digby]

Cockers like Diamond has shown he can build a pack that will compete, both have struggled with the next step

[Oakboy]

Cockers like Diamond has shown he can build a pack that will compete, both have struggled with the next step

True but how about if he had the right assistants? All head coaches need an 'ideas' man who constantly challenges.

[Digby]

Cockers like Diamond has shown he can build a pack that will compete, both have struggled with the next step

True but how about if he had the right assistants? All head coaches need an 'ideas' man who constantly challenges.

Just seems easier to start with someone who has a better sense of the whole and how it joins up, else you keep seeing bolt ons as we had under Burt

[Oakboy]

Cockers like Diamond has shown he can build a pack that will compete, both have struggled with the next step

True but how about if he had the right assistants? All head coaches need an 'ideas' man who constantly challenges.

Just seems easier to start with someone who has a better sense of the whole and how it joins up, else you keep seeing bolt ons as we had under Burt

Deano it is, then!

[richy678]

I would not have Gatland over his previous history of bad mouthing English players:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/ ... ur-gatland

Didnt SCW drop Cockers with some sort of "...I will never select Richard for any team I am coaching ever again..." comment? Not that that stops Cockers being considered as coach now.

Top coaches are going the way of the wendy ball footaball manger merry go round now, anyway.

[Mikey Brown]

Cockers also strikes me as a passion sort of guy. The sort of message that can wear thin, week in, week out, over years, but far more effective in the shorter bursts of international.

I remember Kay saying this. That he needs enough other specialists around doing their thing that it means something when he comes in screaming his head off at people. Whether that fits in with an international setup I don’t know.

I’m sure it also sounded more complimentary than the way I just put it. He was praising him, but saying it can wear thin, as you did.

[Puja]

Didnt SCW drop Cockers with some sort of "...I will never select Richard for any team I am coaching ever again..." comment? Not that that stops Cockers being considered as coach now.

TBH, with my opinion of Woodward nowadays, that's basically an endorsement.

Puja

[Digby]

Didnt SCW drop Cockers with some sort of "...I will never select Richard for any team I am coaching ever again..." comment? Not that that stops Cockers being considered as coach now.

TBH, with my opinion of Woodward nowadays, that's basically an endorsement.

Puja

Wasn't that about Woodward having a pin stuck into Cockerill in order to force a blood substitution, and Clive being unhappy it was made public, something he saw as a betrayal?

Cockers would go onto believe in keeping things from the public himself as the boss, and Clive somehow missed out on the same ban as Deano