Wayne Smith rules out any England role

Wayne Smith, right, has ruled out in move to a coaching role with England. Photo / Brett Phibbs

All Blacks guru Wayne Smith has categorically ruled out any prospect of him succeeding England's national head coach Stu Lancaster, saying he intends to take a sabbatical after the World Cup and travel around Europe.

Smith has been a popular name bandied about by those who say Lancaster must go after his England squad bombed in the tournament hosted on its own soil. Former England halfback Matt Dawson was among those who called for England's Rugby Football Union to hire the 58-year-old New Zealander, known as the "professor" for his coaching nous, even if Lancaster were to remain in some capacity.

But the experienced Kiwi is not having a bar of the suggestions.

London's Daily Telegraph reported Smith has reiterated he has no interest in a heavyweight coaching position after the World Cup. He is due to take a sabbatical to travel around Europe next year and the Telegraph quoted sources in New Zealand as indicating that his position was not likely to change.

After a playing career which included 35 appearances for the All Blacks, Smith became New Zealand's head coach in 2000 and 2001 before then spending three years with Northampton before becoming Graham Henry's assistant for an eight-year period that culminated with the 2011 Rugby World Cup triumph. Henry's successor, Steve Hansen, brought him back as the All Blacks' defence coach last year.

Lancaster has admitted that one of his regrets was his failure to persuade Smith to join his coaching team. Smith would have been part of Nick Mallet's coaching team had the RFU given the England job to the South African instead of ¬Lancaster. Smith afterwards declared an interest in working with Lancaster, who flew to hold talks with him in South Africa, but withdrew for family reasons.

He later took up a job with Dave Rennie at the Chiefs where he helped win back-to-back Super Rugby ¬titles before returning to the All Blacks camp.

Meanwhile the make-up of the five-man panel to review England's World Cup campaign has continued to draw criticism. Ian Ritchie, the (England) RFU chief executive, announced the panel on Monday via a press release but it immediately came under fire from former England players and RFU councillors.

That was followed yesterday by a senior councillor, who questioned why Bill Beaumont, the RFU chairman, was not leading the panel instead of Ritchie. The councillor also indicated that there were concerns over the perception of conflicts of interest in the make-up of the panel and the scope of the review.

It is also understood that at least one RFU board member had ¬concerns about the original make-up, with indications that there may have been a late change.

"There is real anger out there among the clubs about all of this, there is a feeling that heads should roll," said a councillor. "I just find it staggering that Bill Beaumont is not chairing this panel, he is chairman of the board.

"And the fact that Ian Metcalfe [the chairman of Professional Game Board, who is on the panel] led the search for the chief executive when Ian Ritchie was appointed must suggest there is a potential conflict of interest. I think this panel was hastily put together and there are severe doubts about it."

Another councillor said: "Where is the accountability? The whole thing is a shambles. When are we going to learn. To be the best you need to employ the best."

When the panel was announced on Monday, the absence of the independent heavyweights such as Sir Clive Woodward was questioned by former England players Will Greenwood and Lawrence Dallaglio while one councillor warned of a "whitewash".

The review will be carried out by Ritchie along with former Scotland and British and Irish Lions coach Sir Ian McGeechan, former England lock Ben Kay, former Football Association chief executive Ian Watmore and Metcalfe.

- Daily Telegraph and staff reporters.