Brewer to be replaced by Hook at Blackrock

IN A REVERSAL from the recent trend, whereby Ireland's rugby coaches head overseas and overseas coaches head to Ireland, the much travelled George Hook is to combine his role as the USA's director of rugby with a coaching role at Blackrock where he will replace Mike Brewer.

Hook's only direct contribution to the Irish game over the last couple of seasons has been as a sometime television pundit and media columnist.

Blackrock, perennial underachievers in the All Ireland League make the appointment as a result of Brewer, their forwards coach, leaving to take over at West Hartlepool. Tony Sneethe remains the club's director of coaching with Hook becoming a coaching adviser to the first XV.

"Basically this means that Tony does all the work and I, hopefully, take all the credit," explained Hook yesterday. This will be Hook's 29th season as a coach at all levels of the game in many countries.

Blackrock successfully sought permission loom the USARFU to approach Hook, who sees little overlap between the two positions. Similarly, his longtime sidekick and current assistant director of rugby in the US, Eddie O'Sullivan, is to assume a coaching role at newly promoted Buccaneers.

. England will take 16 uncapped players to Argentina next Sunday after drafting in second row forwards Dave Baldwin and Danny Grewcock for the three week trip.

Yorkshireman Baldwin replaces his Sale colleague John Fowler, who damaged knee ligaments last month. Grewcock takes over from injury plagued Northampton and Lions lock Martin Bayfield after he admitted defeat because of a groin problem.

Baldwin, 31, is rewarded following an outstanding display during Sale's 9-3 Pilkington Cup final defeat by Leicester last Saturday.