FRESH from their qualification for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals, Leicester received a further boost yesterday when Pat Howard agreed to stay as head coach at Welford Road for a further year. The Times can reveal that the popular Australian has succumbed to blandishments from England’s most successful club of the professional era and postponed his return to Sydney, which had been scheduled for the end of May.
The news will delight everyone at Leicester, where Howard’s influence as a player from 1999 to 2001 and as assistant coach from 2004 and then head coach with effect from this season, has been profound. It means that the club can also put on hold their search for a successor and take stock before deciding their next move. It also lends Leicester a measure of stability through to the 2007 World Cup as well as setting up the intriguing prospect that Martin Johnson could then return in some capacity.
For some weeks, Leicester officials led by Simon Cohen, the rugby operations manager, had been working hard in an attempt to persuade Howard to change his mind. The Australian had made clear his intention to return to run the chain of chemists he part-owns in his home country. This week, Leicester found out that they had been successful.
Before Howard performed his about-turn, Leicester had drawn up a shortlist of candidates and interviewed Scott Johnson, Jim Mallinder and John Kirwan. An announcement was originally expected before Christmas. However, Leicester felt that none fitted the bill. Johnson, the Wales assistant coach, will either stay alongside Mike Ruddock or join John Connolly, should he, as expected, be appointed the new Australia coach. Mallinder decided to remain with the National Academy while Kirwan’s lack of club experience counted against him.
Last month, Cohen had said that Leicester were delaying a decision and would not rush into an announcement because of the importance of the appointment. That led to speculation that the net would be spread farther afield. But it was Howard they wanted.
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Yesterday, the head coach added weight to Leicester’s forward power by signing Martin Castrogiovanni, the 6ft 2in Italy prop, from Calvisano. The 24-year-old, who has won 29 caps, is due to join at the start of next season.
Olly Barkley will miss England’s opening game of the RBS Six Nations Championship, against Wales at Twickenham on Saturday week, after dislocating his right thumb during Bath’s defeat by Leinster Lions in the Heineken Cup on Sunday. It is a significant blow for club and country. Bath will miss him in Saturday’s Guinness Premiership match against London Wasps and England would, in all probability, have named him among the replacements against Wales. Barkley, capped 14 times, provides cover at fly half and centre and his departure improves the chances of Mark van Gisbergen occupying the bench when Andy Robinson, the head coach, names his match squad next Tuesday.
Newcastle Falcons are appealing to supporters to help to remove the covering from the Kingston Park playing surface on Saturday morning before the Premiership match against Saracens. It has been covered to protect it from frost.