British and Irish Lions Coaching Team 2013

Just thinking ahead to the next Lions tour and wondering about the make up of the coaching ticket. Gatland seems likely to progress to Head Coach assisted by Edwards but would that be a good option. Some things I've been pondering:

- Should the coaches come from Britain/Ireland
- Should there be at least one coach from each nation
- Should the coaches have had to be Lions themselves
- Would club coaches be able to do it or would they need international experience

Any ideas. For me Martin Johnson is the right man to take them to victory over the Aussies.

The coaches should definitely come from the nations involved, never could you have a foreign coach coaching the side, it just would not be the same.

Mcgacheen is the most successful lions coach primarily because of the experince he has with them, so in the same way Johnson could do quite well with them.

But if Johnson is still employed by England he shouldnt be anywhere near the Lions. As well as interfering with his proper job ( England) it would lead to an inevitable conflict of interest with player selection.

It comepletly should be a coach from Britain or Ireland, but someone like Gatland who although foriegn has coached here would be OK ( again not if hes still in a job with his national side)

Two words; Eddie O'Sullivan :run1:

It's a tough one for me, you want someone who is passionate but also calm enough to pick the right team.

Johnno as Head Coach, the rest of the positions up for grabs. I would like to see Geech there in some capacity, perhaps backs coach and there for consul for the new coach. EOS would not be a diaster either In my opinion.

I reckon the captaincy will be very important though. Would love to see John Barclay as lions captain for the Aussie tour. He has already been mentioned as a possible contender. It would be nice to see emulating Finlay Calder in the 89 tour.

Kidney will step down as Irish coach after the next six nations and will be the next lions coach, just you wait and see

Gatland and Edwards? No thanks.

hughie1986 wrote:Kidney will step down as Irish coach after the next six nations and will be the next lions coach, just you wait and see

I like Deccie, I really do, but he just seems a little tame. Perhaps I am just being naive but he always seems so quiet, well mannered and a little too nice? If Deccie was head coach and I would be happy to see it he would need someone perhaps to be his motivational hairdryer in the locker room.

hughie1986 wrote:Kidney will step down as Irish coach after the next six nations and will be the next lions coach, just you wait and see

To coach the Lions you need a team of two. One cerebral tactician/man manager and one rabble rouser.

Therefore the choice is clear, Andy Robinson and Dai Young...

...no, sorry, I mean Kidney and the newly retired POC.

I reckon Andy Robinson would do a great job as forwards coach - and would definitely be a motivational hairdryer!

Did a great job with England's forwards in 2003 as well as the Lions forwards in 2001.

To be honest I don't see Kidney as a suitable candidate. No experience of a Lions tour in any capacity. Has little experience of coaching outside of Ireland.

As a Welshman I do hope that its not Gatland and Edwards. And please don't let Howley anywhere near the backs.

Andy Robinson

Robinson is a very good choice too.

It will be Martin johnson. No doubt about it. I'd like to see Robinson there in some capacity. Any chance of Joe Schmidt getting involved?

roddersm wrote: Any chance of Joe Schmidt getting involved?

"Any chance of Joe Schmidt getting involved?"

No thanks.

red_stag wrote:Robinson is a very good choice too.

Andy Robinson might be a good choice once the squad is selected. Given a large number of options to select, he dithers and prevaricates, has a fart and then fails. He's good enough for Scotland, but nothing any bigger.

Portnoy wrote:

red_stag wrote:Robinson is a very good choice too.

Andy Robinson might be a good choice once the squad is selected. Given a large number of options to select, he dithers and prevaricates, has a fart and then fails. He's good enough for Scotland, but nothing any bigger.

Its a good point too.

How about Henry to have another crack of the Australian whip if this year proves he has better luck second time around?

:run1:

It would never happen, but Dean Richards' might do a decent job. He played every test of the '89 & '93 tours, '89 obviously being the last victorious Australian tour.

In truth, I hope McGeechan does it again.

Gatland seems likely to progress to Head Coach assisted by Edwards but would that be a good option.

How in hells name do you work that one out?

He went in 09 on the back of the 08 GS but since then we have been pretty poor overall, I wouldn't have him anywhere near it now (Welsh coach or not).

How about this

Geech - Manager
Jonno - Head Coach
Robinson - Forwards Coach
Jenkins - Backs Coach (Done very good job in 09 and Scarlets do play some good rugby)

bedfordwelsh wrote:Jenkins - Backs Coach (Done very good job in 09 and Scarlets do play some good rugby)

He's not coaching Scarlets.

SCW will be short of work by then, just to avoid upsetting the Welsh again they could have the other freelance rugby maverick Gavin Henson as his assistant.

Red,

Where in the post does it say he does? The Scarlets backs have always played attractive rugby as did the dirt trackers in 05 sorry not 09. They went unbeaten all way through their games.

Head Coach - Johnson
Forwards Coach - Robinson
Backs Coach (could be contraversial) - Nigel Davies
We'd need a defence coach as well but that is a winning formula right there...

RDW_Scotland wrote:I reckon Andy Robinson would do a great job as forwards coach - and would definitely be a motivational hairdryer!

Did a great job with England's forwards in 2003 as well as the Lions forwards in 2001.

Do you seriously think that anyone got picked for a Lions Tour they would need to be motivated or they would require the hairdryer treatment from the coach?

The biggest job of the coach is to get them all working together fairly rapidly.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Red,

Where in the post does it say he does? The Scarlets backs have always played attractive rugby as did the dirt trackers in 05 sorry not 09. They went unbeaten all way through their games.

Jenkins always was a forwards coach though, and after his stint in charge of Wales it's probably best he never coaches again, he's doing a great job at spotting and developing youngsters at the Scarlets region now though.

Sin é wrote:
Do you seriously think that anyone got picked for a Lions Tour they would need to be motivated or they would require the hairdryer treatment from the coach?

It depends if Henson gets selected I suppose

Head coach Johnson. He's a winning Lions captain and has already coached a team to victory in Australia.

Forwards coach Robinson. He's won a world cup in that role.

Defence coach Les Kiss. Ireland have the best defence in the 6 nations.

Backs coach ??

Feckless Rogue wrote:Head coach Johnson. He's a winning Lions captain and has already coached a team to victory in Australia.

Forwards coach Robinson. He's won a world cup in that role.

Defence coach Les Kiss. Ireland have the best defence in the 6 nations.

Backs coach ??

Nigel Davies...

Conor O'Shea as head coach (he would be able to deal with the press, good motivator etc. The Lions would make a bundle with him fronting it and he wouldn't put his foot in it. Well known in HQ as well).
Martin Johnson: Assistant (to dish out the hairdryer treatment to Henson) and in case anyone might enjoy themselves on it).
The rest doesn't matter, because they'll lose anyway.

edit: Conor O'Shea would be popular with the Welsh, because they would feel that they got one over on the English. The rest wouldn't care that Martin would be actually running the show

My view:

Have to be coaching in the UK and Ireland as national coaches, but it's OK if they happen to be foreign. Therefore, Gatland is OK as he has coached both Ireland and Wales. But Jake White wouldn't as he has no ties to rugby here.

However, Gatland would not be my choice as i don't believe he is the best coach at our (Lions group) disposal. Not sure if other nations would be happy to let their national coaches take time off to coach the Lions?

Sin e

I think when it comes to the Lions we just want the best coach and we are well aware that it is not a Welshman...Definitely don't think it would be Conor O shea either

Should we make Johnson "Head Coach" when he's the first England "Manager" (whereas everyone else has been Head Coach)?

I would like to see Dave Ellis involved with England as a defence coach after the 2011 World Cup, but either way I think he would be a good candidate for Lions defence coach.

Notch wrote:Two words; Eddie O'Sullivan :run1:

Notch I hope you are taking the P. Coz that ain't funny.