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Rowntree: Why the England gang of 2015 have 'prospered' in Ireland

By Liam Heagney
(Photo by David Rogers - RFU/Getty Images)

New Munster head coach Graham Rowntree has spoken about how the failed 2015 England coaching ticket is now a success in various roles in Ireland. Following the pool stage elimination from the World Cup seven years ago, head coach Stuart Lancaster and his three assistants – Rowntree, Andy Farrell and Mike Catt – were all released by the RFU to accommodate the new broom under Eddie Jones. The changeover left the ousted four coaches seeking out work elsewhere and the irony now is that all four are working in Ireland in jobs they are highly respected for. 

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Having arrived at Munster as forwards coach in 2020, Rowntree will soon be promoted to head coach on a two-year deal in place of the Bath-bound Johann van Graan. Lancaster, meanwhile, has been a serial trophy-winner in his position as a senior Leinster coach since September 2016, Andy Farrell succeeded Joe Schmidt as Ireland head coach in 2019 having initially worked as his defence coach since 2016, while Farrell recruited Catt as Ireland’s attack coach in 2020 from Italy. 

Given the success now being enjoyed by all four coaches in the Irish game, it would be understandable if there was some level of recrimination over them getting forced out by the RFU following the 2015 England World Cup disappointment, but Rowntree was nothing but magnanimous looking back on what happened seven years ago and what has since transpired. 

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“That was a long time ago, we have all moved on, doing different things and since we have moved on England are doing well, they have been in a World Cup final, let’s not deny that,” said Rowntree, the new incoming Munster boss, during a guest appearance on this week’s edition of The Rugby Pod.  

“We move on, all we can deal with is what is presented to you. I love life over here (in Limerick), I love the club I work with, the guys I am working with and I am very fortunate that from July 1 I am leading it. I can’t wait for it. 

“It doesn’t define you,” he added about his England failure. “You drive on to the next role. It’s a business. Professional sport, rugby, it’s a business and what we achieved in 2015 is well recorded. It wasn’t good enough and what happened happened and we all drive on and we’re finding ourselves where we are now. All you can deal with is what is in front of you now. You learn a lot and nationally England have prospered under Eddie. Myself and the other guys, we have prospered in what we are doing so we are just marching forward.

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“I have signed a two-year deal, you don’t get much more than that these days and that is fair enough. It’s a business. I’m happy doing what I am doing now for at least the next two years.”

Rowntree added that the Munster player recruitment for next season is already over, Malakai Fekitoa being their headline signing in place of Damian de Allende, but he is moving quickly to finalise his backroom staff. “There is nothing more to be done recruitment wise. I am happy with where we are at. We have got a great squad, we have got a lot of good lads coming through. Right about now there is a load of lads pushing through.

“The guys within the organisation, certainly the players, know my style, what I want to do. The guys I want to bring in (as assistant coaches) are fairly similar to me. I need to get that nailed over the next couple of weeks and within a few days of pre-season they will know what we are doing, how I want to change things.”

Munster progressed to the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals with their win last Saturday over Exeter at Thomond Park and Rowntree had the height of respect for the challenge posed by the Chiefs. “They are a proper team. I didn’t know until we played Exeter pre-season there is such respect between the two clubs, real respect because of previous European games.

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“As a forwards coach, their scrum and their maul are a handful, they’re a bloody handful and our defensive breakdown was pretty special on Saturday. They are a proper team to play against.” 

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Trevor 1 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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Bull Shark 5 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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