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Two international coaches linked with Harlequins DoR job - reports
By Online Editors
Two international standard coaches have been linked with the vacant Harlequins Director of Rugby role - according to reports.
Harlequins parted ways with Director Rugby John Kingston following a relatively poor season for the West London club.
Quins have assembled a panel that will oversee the worldwide search for a replacement for Kingston although the emphasis may switch to appointing a high profile head coach as the focal point for a new regime with a director of rugby then tasked with handling player contracts and negotiations with agents along with other off the field matters.
The BBC are reporting that England coach Paul Gustard and Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards are being linked with the position.
42-year-old Gustard was part of a number of successful England campaigns as defence coach under Eddie Jones, having taken up his current role in 2016. The BBC are reporting that both he and Edwards have interviewed for the position with Harlequins.
Edwards - on the other hand - has been a long-serving member of Warren Gatland's Wales set-up since 2008. With Gatland leaving the role Edwards defensive knowledge will be in high demand and a role as a headcoach would be a logical progression for the former Rugby League stalwart.
New Zealander Scott Robertson of the Crusaders had previously been touted as leading candidate for the job.
The process of finding a new DoR is said to be ongoing, with a number of other high level coaches said to be in the mix, including Ben Ryan.
Kingston was promoted from Head Coach to Director of Rugby in April 2016, leading the Club to its highest Premiership finish in three years and securing European Champions Cup rugby for the first time in several years.
Harlequins are facing a massive bill should they decide to offload a number of coaches after a troubled Aviva Premiership season. The West London club are potentially facing a £2.5 million bill in payouts.
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Top of that bill is Kingston. He is reported to be owed a £750,000 severance deal after his time came to an end just months after his contract with the club as Director of Rugby was extended.
Kingston was tasked with driving the team into the top four and ensuring Champions Cup rugby and has paid the price of failure to achieve both targets.
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Latest Comments
Agree with Wilson B- at best. And that is down to skilled individual players who know how to play the game - not a cohesive squad who know their roles and game plan. For those who claim that takes time to develop, the process is to keep the game plan simple at first and add layers as the squad gels and settles in to the new systems. Lack of progress against the rush D, lack of penetration and innovation in the mid-field, basic skill errors and loose forwards coming second in most big games all still evident in game 14 of the season. Hard to see significant measureable progress.
Go to commentsKeep telling yourself that. The time for a fresh broom is at the beginning - not some "balanced, incremental" (i.e. status quo) transition. All teams establish the way forward at the beginning. This coaching group lacked ideas and courage and the players showed it on the pitch. Backs are only average. Forwards are unbalanced and show good set piece but no domination in traditional AB open play. Unfortunately, Foster - Mark 2. You may be happy with those performances and have some belief in some "cunning plan" but I don't see any evidence of it. Rassie is miles ahead and increasing the gap.
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