So, the RFU has hired a recruitment consultant to search for its next chief executive.
On the face of it this seems overkill. The job of running the country's second biggest sport will surely only attract high profile candidates with the required experience. It's a little bewildering that the top brass at Twickenham are incapable of drawing up a shortlist themselves.
But when you consider their last major appointment decision ended with giving the team manager's job to a candidate with no experience whatsoever, perhaps this is a sign that they have recognised one of their own shortcomings and handed the task over to the experts.
Had they done so when looking for Brian Ashton's successor, what would the brief have looked like for their ideal man? The three criteria below would have been the very minimum.
1. Experience of coaching at the highest level
2. Demonstrable tactical acumen
3. Evidence of first rate man management skills
Imagine the conversation between the head hunters and Francis Baron if they had gone away with these requirements and given him a ring two weeks later.
"Francis, we've got just the man. You know that checklist you gave us? There were a few people with some or all of those qualities - Jake White, Shaun Edwards, Ian McGeechan, Toby Booth.
"Well, we considered them all but then we had a better idea: let's give it so someone with none of the above."
"Well if he hasn't got any of those, what has he got?"
"You'll like this, Francis. He's got an aura."
"Are you insane?"
But the RFU didn't seek outside help. They weighed their options and plumped for a novice. It was a bit like whistling up the stable lad to ride the Gold Cup favourite. Except that Martin Johnson's aura was gong to make up for that lack of time on the touchline.
Given their choice, it is unfair to have expected Johnson to work miracles overnight as he felt his way into the job. But we should by now be seeing the green shoots of recovery, we should be seeing progress, we should be seeing the impact of his standing in the game as a player, because that is the basis on which he was appointed.
But we aren't.
On Saturday as England gorged themselves on possession with practically zero end product, all we could see was that Johnson's aura, tucked neatly into a shirt and tie and sat in the stands, is about as useful to England as a Bic razor to a sheep shearer.
Ireland lived off scraps and turned them into tries with a ruthlessness alien to England. It should not be lost on Johnson that his predecessor's side, piloted by Danny Cipriani, dismantled the men in green at Twickenham two years ago.
Johnson now has the uneasy schedule of Scotland, France and two-tests against Australia before his team sets foot on home turf again. It is highly likely things will get a whole lot worse before they start to get better.
Before they hand over their brief to their specialist recruiters for Baron's successor, the RFU might want to add patience to their list of required attributes. And lots of it.
READ DANNY COYLE AT RUGBY.CO.UK EVERY TUESDAY
Date published :
02 Mar 2010 - 07:25:48
08/02/2012 01:52:53
