Who May Be on Shortlist for Leicester Hotseat

Richard Cockerill left his beloved Leicester with one final defiant growl, but who could replace him, asks James Harrington 

The Richard Cockerill era at Leicester ended on January 2, 2017, as the club announced that the abrasive former England hooker was to leave his position as director of rugby with immediate effect.

Head coach Aaron Mauger has been placed in temporary charge pending, the terse club statement said, ‘a review of the coaching structure to determine an appropriate way forward’.

Club CEO Simon Cohen has copped a fair amount of flak for the decision to part ways with Cockerill – but the powers that be at the club decided his position was no longer tenable following that loss to Sarries. It left Leicester fifth in the Premiership and off the pace in the race for the end-of-season play-offs.

But the decision will hurt the proud and honest Cockerill, who was Leicester through-and-through. Typically, he was defiant to the last. Even in the official statement announcing his departure, he made it clear that he did not agree with the decision. You could almost hear the growl in his comment: “I still believe that I am the right person to lead the team at this present time but respect the Board’s decision to make change as they see fit in the best interests of the club.”

And he defended his record – on his watch, the club won three Premiership titles and the 2012 LV Cup, and reached the European Cup final in 2009, his first season in charge. They were Premiership runners up twice and reached the play-off semi-finals every season.

It was also perhaps telling that he made no mention of Mauger as he wished ‘Tom Youngs and the team the very best for the future’.

He had earlier been forced to defend his relationship with Mauger – which it had been rumoured was frosty, bordering on the toxic following the earlier departure of Kiwi defence coach Scott Hansen. Their relationship was, he said following their 38-0 Champions Cup defeat at Munster, ‘robust’.

And, shortly before Christmas, he had rejected speculation that his future at Welford Road was in doubt, and demanded that rugby clubs should not go down the soccer route by installing revolving doors to managers’ offices.

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Already the speculation surrounding his replacement is mounting. Here, in rapidly descending order of likelihood, are just a few of the coaches who may be in line for the hotseat.

AARON MAUGER

The ex-All Black has to be favourite for the job. He’s been handed the role on an interim basis, pending the result of the review – which would suggest it is his for the taking. An extended trial until the end of the season should see him move officially into the big chair before the start of the next campaign, when he will be able to bring in his own team. He has the Eddie Jones seal of approval, too, but whether that is a blessing or a curse remains to be seen.

JAKE WHITE

The 2007 World Cup-winning coach becomes a free agent at the end of Top 14 season, following Montpellier’s owner Mohed Altrad decision not to extend his contract after he hinted non-too-secretly he would be interested in the England job before Jones was handed the role. There’s little doubt that White would be a good fit for Leicester. His favoured no-nonsense, direct, forwards-dominated method fits right in with their long-standing love of A-B-C club rugby.

DAVID HUMPHREYS

The Ulsterman could be living on borrowed time at Gloucester, if Mohed Altrad’s proposed takeover of the club goes ahead. The billionaire owner of Top 14 side Montpellier already has approval of the England Rugby Union and French Rugby Federation for his bid to buy 54% of the club. Now, he needs the consent of European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) – who are due to meet in February before a deal can be thrashed out. Assuming all the paperwork is finalised, Altrad reportedly wants former France coach Philippe Saint-André to head back to Kingsholm – where he started his coaching career in 1998. All of which leaves Humphreys in limbo, so a timely offer dropping through his letter box may be welcome.

HEYNEKE MEYER

How ironic it would be if the man Cockerill replaced as director of rugby at Leicester in 2009 turned out – eight years later – to be the one who replaced him. But Meyer, who already been linked to the post and who has pretty much been on a sabbatical after leaving the South African job at the end of the 2015 World Cup, may now be on the lookout for his next challenge. Whether that includes a belated return to the East Midlands, a place he left after a short stint for family reasons, is anyone’s guess.

STUART LANCASTER

The former England coach is more school teacher than drill sergeant, so there would be of a sea change if he were to take over at Leicester. Prising him away from Leinster, where he now forms part of a potent coaching force under Leo Cullen, may however prove difficult. He has already scotched rumours linking him to the soon-to-be vacant Connacht hotseat and said he would be happy to remain with the three-time European champions.

FABIEN GALTHIE

Such has been the long and drawn-out process of his departure as head coach of Montpellier that Galthié has effectively been on gardening leave since being relieved of his duties in January 2014. The legal shenanigans – which may have cost him the big chair at Toulon – are due to be finalised this month, which will free him at last to take coaching jobs elsewhere. It is doubtful, however, that his passionate rugby-heart-on-his-sleeve style will sit easily with Leicester, where winning rugby is the only form of sexy rugby that is recognised.

JIM MALLINDER

Could Northampton’s under-fire head coach really head 40 miles up the M1 to arch-rivals Leicester? It would be the rugby equivalent of Jurgen Klopp leaving Liverpool for Everton. Besides, his recent record would probably not endear him to the Leicester board. If you have a dollar to spare on an aliens-visiting-Donald-Trump-to-one longshot, it might be worth it for the laugh you’ll get when you show your friends the betting slip.