England Rugby Statement

Dec 14 • General News, International • 1412 Views • Comments Off on England Rugby Statement

Mike Catt, Andy Farrell and Graham Rowntree will leave their positions as England assistant coaches.

As part of Stuart Lancaster’s setup they coached England to 22 victories in 36 tests.

Their most notable win as a group came against the All Blacks in 2012, beating the world champions 38-21 at Twickenham. South Africa was the only international side England failed to win against.

Under their stewardship, England finished second in every RBS 6 Nations campaign. Their last game in charge of the national side saw England beat Uruguay 60-3 in their final pool stage match of the 2015 Rugby World Cup following defeats to Wales and tournament finalists Australia.

Andy Farrell first joined forces with Lancaster as his assistant for England Saxons in the successful 2010 Churchill Cup when he was skills coach for Saracens. He was then handed the reins as first team coach in 2011 and guided the London club to their first Premiership title. In 2012 he was given the role of England backs coach and was an assistant coach for the British and Irish Lions in 2013.

Rowntree has been involved with the senior set up since 2008 after beginning work with the RFU’s national academy in 2007. He progressed to England scrum coach and then assistant coach as part of Martin’s Johnson’s backroom staff and has coached in three Rugby World Cup campaigns. He became forwards coach in 2011.

In his time as coach, England won the RBS 6 Nations in 2011, the last for the national side since 2003, with the team finishing second for five of the last seven seasons. The Rugby World Cup in New Zealand four years ago saw England knocked out by France at the quarter final stage, one better than this year’s home tournament. He toured twice with the British and Irish Lions as coach on both the 2009 tour to South Africa and the successful 2013 tour to Australia. As a player he made 398 appearances for Leicester’s first team, 54 for England and two for the Lions. He was involved in the 1995 and 1999 World Cups and toured with the winning 1997 Lions tour to South Africa and the 2005 tour of New Zealand.

Catt joined Lancaster’s coaching team as backs coach in the summer of 2012 ahead of England’s tour to South Africa, before becoming the skills coach a few months later. He played 75 times for England after making his debut in 1994. He played in four Rugby World Cup tournaments and was a member of England’s successful 2003 World Cup winning squad as well as being a member of the British and Irish Lions in 1997 and 2001. He spent the majority of his club career at Bath Rugby before moving to London Irish where he then turned to coaching for Irish as their attack coach.

This follows the departure of Stuart Lancaster who left last month after England’s World Cup exit at the pool stages.

Eddie Jones said: “Having met with all of the coaches to talk through the future direction, we felt it was the right time to make changes. They are all experienced guys and have contributed greatly to this England team over recent years and I know everyone at the Union is appreciative of their hard work and commitment. On behalf of the players that have benefitted from their coaching and RFU, I wish them the very best for the future.”