‘Door open’ for Stuart Lancaster to throw hat in for England job

INTERIM head coach Stuart Lancaster has been told the door is open for him to apply for the full-time job of leading England into the 2015 Rugby World Cup on home soil.

Lancaster is in temporary charge while Odgers, a firm of headhunters, scour the rugby world looking for suitable candidates to replace Martin Johnson on a permanent basis.

The Rugby Football Union would like to make an appointment before the end of the forthcoming Six Nations, which would seemingly count against Lancaster. But acting chief executive Stephen Brown insisted that timescale is not set in stone.

Should Lancaster apply, Brown said he will neither be considered nor discarded on the basis of results alone. He has already impressed Twickenham executives with his role in the RFU’s so-called “reputational damage rebuild plan”.

Lancaster has set about reforming the culture of the England set-up by taking strong disciplinary action against Danny Care and naming a new-look squad for the Six Nations. He has also helped the RFU’s chief commercial director, Sophie Goldschmidt, take that message to sponsors.

Brown said: “Stuart has made a fantastic impression and I’m sure if Stuart chooses to apply he will be given every consideration for that job. Stuart has to make the decision about whether he wants to be considered for the role. If he does then we will make sure there is time (for him to make his case). The door is not shut, it’s open.”

lSale executive director of sport Steve Diamond’s disciplinary hearing into two counts of verbally abusing match officials, scheduled for last night, has been postponed. A new date for the hearing has yet to be announced by the RFU.