Leinster continue search as Callard makes U-turn

Jonathan Callard was offered the role as the new coach to the Leinster rugby team but in an amazing twist early yesterday morning decided to renege on his verbal acceptance, citing family reasons. His wife is from Yorkshire and they have three young daughters. John O'Sullivan reports

The former Bath and England international who was assistant coach to Phil Davies at the Zurich Premiership club Leeds Tykes was the man chosen to guide Leinster's fortunes, following a series of interviews conducted by a four-man panel consisting of Leinster Branch Chief Executive Mick Dawson, the IRFU's Director of Rugby, Eddie Wigglesworth, Chairman of the new IRFU Management committee John Hussey and his successor as Chairman of the Provincial Team Management Committee in Leinster, Brian McLoughlin.

They interviewed a shortlist of candidates in Dublin and London on Thursday and Friday of last week, Dawson flew home from family holidays to take part in the process. The list was further reduced to three, of which Callard was the preferred choice.

He was invited to Dublin last Sunday to look at Leinster's facilities and met with members of the executive. Callard's agent, Peter Bills, then thrashed out the minutiae of his contract, a process that wasn't completed until late on Wednesday evening.

A package was agreed and Leinster then confirmed that the announcement of their new coach would be made yesterday evening, the players to be informed first at a squad gathering at 3 p.m. What seemed like a fait accompli took a bizarre turn when Callard made a phone call to a member of the panel in the early hours of yesterday morning to outline a change of heart.

On a day when Leinster were simply waiting on a document confirming his acceptance, they were now being told that he had decided not to accept the post. Callard's actions beggar belief. He went through a whole interview process in which he pleaded his case to be awarded the position, flew to Dublin to look at the set-up, agreed terms through his agent and then at the eleventh hour, got cold feet.

To compound matters, Callard issued the following statement through the Leeds Tykes official website: "I am flattered to be linked with the Leinster job but I feel it is too soon in my career to take on such a role. There is still lots for me to learn and develop in my coaching career and the job has not been done here at Leeds yet, hopefully I can be part of seeing that through."

This statement comes from a man who, of his own volition and with no arm-bending, turned up as an applicant for a job he, if his words are to be believed, didn't think he should get. Callard's actions have caused considerable embarrassment and can not but have adversely affected his reputation.

The former England international's coaching pedigree revolved around a couple of seasons coaching Bath, assisting at Leeds and also taking charge of the England team at the recent Under-21 World Cup in Oxford. He flew out on family holidays to Canada yesterday.

His proposed appointment appeared to indicate that Leinster are seeking a head coach who is also a backs' coach, although that stance may change depending on Messrs X and Y.

The process to find a new coach continues, with Leinster turning to the unnamed second and third choice applicants. It is understood that contact has already been made with their agents and that an announcement could be made as early as today but it may drift into next week.

Leinster released the following statement yesterday. It read: "Mick Dawson, Chief Executive of Leinster Rugby, today said that while Leinster has made good progress in their search for a head coach, no appointment has yet been made."

Brian McLoughlin, Chairman of the Provincial Team Management Committee (which looks after the professional team), this afternoon gave a progress report to a representative group of players in Dublin. He said: "Of the many quality candidates for the head coach position there are three short-listed, all eminently suitable. Jonathan Callard is the only candidate to indicate his non-availability to us.

"We would hope to finalise the selection process shortly," he concluded.