Your coach for us

[Manfromireland]

Hi there am a new member.As you can imagine Irish rugby is in a state of mourning with all national flags flying at half mast after the resignation of Eddie O Sullivan
The 2 early favourites for the job are heavily linked with Australian rugby. Pat Howard and your coach John Mitchell. any rumours down there as to either of these guys and our glamour job!!!

On a seperate issue. Is David Pusety still playing with you? He was very unlucky for us here at munster with injury?
Best of luck for the year, think yer on the crest of something big and yer centre Cross is reminding me of BOD when he was at his pomp.

[shasta]

The 2 early favourites for the job are heavily linked with Australian rugby. Pat Howard and your coach John Mitchell. any rumours down there as to either of these guys and our glamour job!!!

Pat Howard is halfway thru quitting the job of ARU high performance manager in order to spend more time with his family, which I suppose he might do in Ireland as well as Brisbane. John Mitchell has committed to the Force until 2011. I'd be amazed if he would turn his back on that, given he declined to have a run at the Wallaby coaching post.

David Pusey is still at the Force but not playing this week. Welcome aboard.

[Manfromireland]

So i guess that rules the IRFU out of buying him out of his contract. Pity think he would be great for us. He doing a great job for ye this year

[travelling_gerry]

Mitchell to stick with Force
By Bret Harris
March 22, 2008 WESTERN Force coach John Mitchell's management has quashed speculation that the former New Zealand mentor is in the running for the vacant Ireland coaching job.

The Irish Times newspaper has speculated on a number of possible replacements for the departed Eddie O'Sullivan, including Mitchell, outgoing ARU high performance manager Pat Howard, former South Africa coach Jake White and ex-Australia backs coach Alan Gaffney, although Munster coach Declan Kidney appears to be the favourite.

Mitchell's manager John Fordham said he had had no discussions with his client about the Ireland position. Fordham pointed out that Mitchell had extended his contract with the Force last year, which will see him in Perth until the end of 2011.

While Mitchell has a clause in his contract that allows him to accept an offer to be the Wallabies head coach, it does not extend to other countries.

"I saw in the Irish Times a speculative piece, which listed five or six people, who were presented as good choices as opposed to being contenders," Fordham said.

"John was in there, but I've never discussed it with him. John's position is that he is totally committed to the job he's doing now.

"That's why last year he extended and renegotiated a new contract to 2011."

New South Wales have joined the race to sign another Fordham client, Force full-back Cameron Shepherd, but he is expected to stay in Perth or go to the Brumbies.

Fordham said Shepherd had accepted the ARU component of his new two-year contract and he would decide next week which team to play for.

"The Force are extremely anxious to retain Cameron, but there is interest from other provinces," Fordham said.

"There's no doubt it is in Cameron's interests not to let it linger."

Force outside back Ryan Cross is expecting to receive an offer from the ARU within the next week for a top-up to his contract.

It is understood Cross's stocks have risen following the news that fellow rugby league convert Timana Tahu has succumbed to the hamstring problems that dogged his career in the 13-a-side code.

NSW second-rower Will Caldwell is considering playing overseas after the ARU decided against topping up his contract with the Waratahs.

The Waratahs are keen to keep Caldwell, especially in light of the impending departure of Test second-rower Dan Vickerman overseas and the premature retirement of Al Kanaar.

But if Caldwell stays in Australia, it may not necessarily be with the Waratahs as the Brumbies have also expressed interest in him.

The ARU will have more to spend on players if Wallabies blindside flanker Rocky Elsom decides to take a sabbatical overseas.

The Force, meanwhile, will step up efforts to re-sign promising young prop Pek Cowan, who is off-contract at the end of the year.

Cowan made a huge impact with his aggression and commitment when he came off the bench during the Force's come-from-behind 27-17 win against the Blues in Albany last Saturday.

His outstanding performance earned him a starting spot at loose-head against the powerful Highlanders front row in Queenstown on Saturday.

The Highlanders will be expecting to out-muscle the Force up front and Cowan will need to display the same level of physicality that he did against the Blues.

Force half-back Chris O'Young is in doubt for the game with a shoulder injury and will be given until this morning to prove his fitness.

If O'Young is ruled out, flanker Matt Hodgson will come into the 22-man squad and the Force will go with a five/two split between forwards and backs on the reserves bench.

The Force is favoured to beat the winless Highlanders, but the southern men have been highly competitive in every game and are more than capable of springing an upset.



Mitchell to stick with Force - Rugby - Fox Sports

[TOCC]

Pat Howard has said no as well, did you know Pat Howard is also a qualified pharmacist, seems the man should have no shortage of potential jobs.

[pieter blackie]

News in South Africa has it that Jake White is the top contender for the job. The names of Declan Kidney and Pat Howard were also mentioned

[pieter blackie]

News in South Africa has it that Jake White is the top contender for the job. The names of Declan Kidney and Pat Howard were also mentioned

here is the full article

News 24

[TOCC]

Is jake white going to get linked with every international rugby coaching job that becomes open?

[GIGS20]

I would expect that after the way SARugby have treated him!

He took out a World Cup with them remember......he did it under extreme criticism, and you'd have to think that counts more for him than against him...

I mean winning the thing proves that in the argument, he was the one who knew what was required to take out the game!

[jargan83]

I think you may have said this GIGS, but just think how succesfull Jake White could have been with a full and final say at the selection table without all the political bulls**t

[TOCC]

I would expect that after the way SARugby have treated him!

He took out a World Cup with them remember......he did it under extreme criticism, and you'd have to think that counts more for him than against him...

I mean winning the thing proves that in the argument, he was the one who knew what was required to take out the game!

im not questioning his coaching ability, im saying its bloody repetitive that every time a professional coaching position comes available anywhere in the world, jake whites name is thrown in the ring as a strong contender, nobody at the IRFU has probably even asked Jake yet.

[GIGS20]

I was just saying, it's inevitable, He's a successful international coach and he doesn't really have a job at the moment.....It's better than all the speculation about Eddie Jones that flew around early lasy year, White has the runs on the board!

[TOCC]

I was just saying, it's inevitable, He's a successful international coach and he doesn't really have a job at the moment.....It's better than all the speculation about Eddie Jones that flew around early lasy year, White has the runs on the board!

thats true, although i have see Eddie Jones name thrown in the ring lately as well, apparently he could be taking over the English job(its all bullshit)

[Thequeerone]

Jake White has already said no.

Kidney is the favourite

[no.8]

MOI - TQ1 is the Irish expert on this site.

I also hear that Declan is the man.
"Unknown Sauces" is rumoured to have said that long time supporter of Irish Rugby and Declan's friend Gaelic coach Vincent Dish is tipped to cross the divide and start a lucrative career in Rugby Union.

The Kidney Dish combination should provide an ideal receptacle now that Irish Rugby is this state of liquidity!