Rugby: Pressure rises on Deans for Sunwolves

Former Wallabies coach Robbie Deans. Photo / Getty Images

Japan keen for Kiwi’s skills as Super Rugby sides vie for talent for the expanded series

Japan are trying to persuade Robbie Deans to take on their Sunwolves side in next year's expanded Super Rugby series.

The former Crusaders, Wallabies and All Black coach has led the Panasonic Wild Knights for the past two seasons and with the new Super Rugby side still without a supremo, the pressure is rising on Deans to take the job. Eddie Jones was tipped for the post until he left to take up the Stormers role before he moved again after being made an irresistible offer for the England job.

John Mitchell, lead coach when Deans was assistant All Blacks coach in the early 2000s, was then widely tipped to return to Super Rugby coaching with the Stormers and while there were reports many of the players opposed the idea, it was felt the Stormers would get their man.

Discussions with Mitchell must have hit a significant road block.

Instead the Stormers said Robbie Fleck would move up from his four seasons' work as assistant to Allister Coetzee, to be the side's interim coach for the next Super Rugby season.

Following Jones' coaching trail has been equally intriguing as he began assembling his group to take England through to the 2019 World Cup.

He has dispensed with all of Stuart Lancaster's senior cohorts - Graham Rowntree, Mike Catt and Andy Farrell - and is toying with the idea of splitting the forwards' portfolio into lineout and scrum leaders.

Steve Borthwick, who worked with Jones and Japan at the Rugby World Cup, is being set for the lineout role with a scrum coach to be picked.

Catt is leaving and while it was felt defensive head Farrell might stay after working previously with Jones, it appears the new coach has decided to make a clean break with Lancaster's group. Paul Gustard is favoured to take on that defence role.

The changes are expected to be announced shortly once the RFU and clubs reach an agreement as Jones continues his tour of English premiership clubs and their coaching groups.

Bristol want Borthwick to stay with them for the rest of the season if he links up with Jones, while the RFU wants him to commit to England.