Leicester assistant Mike Ford linked with role on other side of the world

Former England and Ireland assistant Mike Ford has emerged as the latest name linked to take over from John McKee as coach of Fiji. 

The Leicester attack coach is among a lengthy list of candidates all said to be vying for a position that is not yet officially vacant.

Current Fijian boss John McKee, who is contracted through to December 31, is still in the dark as to what he fate will be. 

"I will very quickly know if I continue or if it stops: it is in the hands of the steering committee,” he said recently on New Zealand radio.

Despite competitive performances against Australia and Wales at the World Cup, McKee’s reputation was hugely dented by Fiji’s shock defeat to minnows Uruguay.

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Who is potentially in the running to succeed McKee is a moveable feast. Clermont’s Franck Azema and Pau’s Nicolas Godignon have apparently already been ruled out, but Toulouse’s Regis Sonnes and ex-Bayonne coach Vincent Etcheto are said to have among the names still being considered by the Fijian Rugby Union in Suva. 

Midi Olympique had reported that McKee’s likely successor was set to be French, given the presence of so many of their players in the Top 14, but the inclusion now of Ford in the mix suggests that the situation is very fluid.  

Ford last worked in the Test arena in November 2018 when coaching Germany in the qualification playoffs for the 2019 World Cup in Japan. He then linked up with Leicester, initially as a consultant before adopting the role of attack coach this season.

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