The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is known for its strategic direction, planning successors like Eddie Jones under the banner “Project Everest” and shifting Six Nations’ broadcasting rights in “Project Light”. As the coaching staff in Steve Borthwick’s office continues to decrease, those at the helm in Twickenham will likely be brainstorming another such project. However, despite England’s significant progress in the Six Nations and a modicum of advancement on the New Zealand summer tour, the RFU finds itself in turmoil once more. Will the next venture be dubbed “Project Stability”? While the need for such a project might not be outwardly evident, behind-the-scenes concerns about discord between the RFU and the Premiership are starting to emerge as they gear up to introduce the new Professional Game Partnership (PGP) in the upcoming month.
The exit of Aled Walters from his position as strength and conditioning head was a hard hit, as he was incredibly well-liked amongst the players. The void left by another veteran strength and conditioning coach, Tom Tombleson, was aggravated by the fact that the PGP gives England more control over their players’ strength and conditioning. The blow was made even worse as Walters has been snapped up by Ireland. The explanations may be that Walters’ spouse is Irish, he served six years with Munster, and was enticed by the prospect of working alongside Andy Farrell. Now, he is almost guaranteed to take the top spot in strength and conditioning for the upcoming British and Irish Lions tour. However, the resignation of Felix Jones over the past weekend can only be classified as a major setback.
Jones resigned without securing another job, suggesting a lack of interest in continuing as England’s defensive coach. Speculation suggests Jones accepted his role in Borthwick’s team intending to guide the offensive strategy before he was rerouted to defensive duties following Kevin Sinfield’s reassignment to skill coach. Nevertheless, his measurable influence in his brief tenure was undeniable.
Jones ranks as one of the top-tier coaches and has successfully implemented the blitz system, which proved its effectiveness back during his stint with South Africa. Though initial difficulties popped up in the Six Nations, the system is already yielding positive results. His meticulous nature stunned his players, but his decision to depart alongside Walters, a close confidant, questions Borthwick’s work environment and paves the way to consider what happens next for England. The RFU is left scrambling with uncertainty.
The Redman, RFU’s team performance director, might be entrusted with finding a solution. As part of Project Everest, Redman reportedly held interviews with a whopping 67 coaches, with Borthwick always his top pick. Borthwick’s selection demonstrates Redman’s thoroughness. CEO Bill Sweeney is hopeful that a promotion from within or from the Premiership would serve as a success story for the pathway systems. Such a move would indeed be a typical corporate reaction, but now might not be the time to understand Project Zeus’s implications.
Interestingly, the answer to RFU’s predicament has been apparent for nearly two decades. Back in 2006, Shaun Edwards, a distinguished rugby league player with 37 major winners’ medals to his name, received an invitation to join England from the then head coach, Andy Robinson. Edwards declined the offer, feeling he was unprepared and needed to stay dedicated to a club role while mourning his brother’s death. Subsequently, he left Wasps five years later to join Warren Gatland’s Wales full-time. The interest from England was only lukewarm, and an offer of merely running their Saxons side was underwhelming for a man of his caliber. This has been a consistent trend, and Sweeney did meet Edwards for an informal chat by the Thames in 2021, but no formal job offer was made.
That said, Edwards, now aged 57, has repeatedly expressed interest in working for England. A proud Englishman and proven victor, he virtually pioneered the blitz defense. Gatland claims to have originated the idea at Wasps, but Edwards, Gatland’s once trusted compatriot, insists he had been considering similar strategies. What remains undeniable is Edwards’ role in implementing the tactic.
His tenure with the French federation is due to expire at the end of the 2027 World Cup. However, Sweeney should earnestly attempt to wrestle Edwards away from his current role, despite his undoubtedly hefty price tag. The RFU is facing financial hardship, particularly with the challenge of fitting the bill for the 25 hybrid contracts, valued at £160,000 (€189,000) each, planned as part the PGP scheme, totalling an annual cost of £33 million. However, with potential compensation set to come from Walters and Jones – assuming the 12-month notice period outlined in his contract is overlooked – alongside the cash influx from selling Twickenham’s naming rights, every effort should be made to secure Edwards’s departure from his obligations with France.
Upon his induction, Borthwick frequently stressed “clarity”, an attribute that Edwards has proved to excel in. Case in point, his standout performance in the Six Nations’ Full Contact documentary, where he lucidly directed his team to minimise game play in their own half, “Quand nous avons le ballon dans notre camp, kick the f**king ball.”
Moreover, with an impressive CV and a well-established reputation, Edwards could allay the suspicions stirring amongst the team blindsided by Jones’s exit. Crucially, his appointment would allow Borthwick to continue England’s defensive strategy without needing a complete overhaul.
This strategy relates to the search for a seventh defensive coach since Eddie Jones ushered Farrell out shortly following his arrival. When Paul Gustard moved on in 2018, Jones made unsuccessful attempts to bring Farrell back into the fold, and this has led to continuous changes thereafter. Sinfield came with much enthusiasm, but quickly became a novice in his role. Speculation about his departure started during England’s lacklustre World Cup practice games last year. Following this, he decided to stay on, but in a skills coaching position, and his future plans are still uncertain.
It’s disconcerting that Walters, Jones, and himself – the trio of significant coaching appointments under Borthwick – have all decided to leave. Borthwick has done a commendable job in steering England away from the disorder instigated during his predecessor’s rule, but it is important to note that his initial coaching years, the first six full-time, were under Eddie Jones.
It’s noteworthy to mention that Walters, Sinfield, Jones, Richard Wigglesworth, Tom Harrison, and Nick Evans are of the same generation as Borthwick, if not younger. Hence, selecting an individual with the wealth of experience that Edwards possess would be a greatly appreciated move. It could considerably contribute towards sorting out the current predicament that England is confronted with. Let’s name it the Initiative of Rational Thinking.