Did I have an interesting lunchtime chat today.

I live in the Midlands and was having a pint after watching my lad play RU.

Into the club comes a bloke who is on the Management at Northampton RU. We started talking about Saracens and their big clear out of players. Without him knowing I was a Wigan RL Fan, he came out with...

1) Faz will be relased from his contract at Sarries, and offered a coaching job (already reported I know).
2) Eddie Jones coming to Wigan is a done deal (again, already rumoured, but interesting all the same)
3) He will be bringing, or will be joined by Alex Sanderson - who is a RU forwards coach.

Apparently all this came out when they heard about the big clear-out at Sarries - they called in and asked about player availability and were told the above.

I guess this is not new - but the Eddie Jones rumour won't go away.

Any thoughts?

I'm sure this happened exactly as you say, but whether this guy actually knows anything is open to question.

I still find it hard to believe that Jones would get any position at Wigan other than some form of consultancy job. He couldn't take over as head coach, and would hardly be likely to accept an assistant role.

Did you mean Faz would be a coach at Sarries or Wigan?
Interesting he was at the Wigan game on Sat rather than the rah rah international.

I presume you mean a coaching job at Sarries not Wigan?



Not sure what either would bring to the club particularly Sanderson who would be bored to tears I suspect. The forwards have a vastly different role in RU as I am sure you know and I am not clear what skills an RU forward coach would see as transferable to RL.

As to Jones I am dubious about this as well. I do think we need to replace Lydon as I think we need someone to oversee the player development side of the club right from junior level and into the 1st team and I don't think this is Nobbies job nor one a 1st team coach should take on anyway as they have enough on their plate.

However I don't see why Jones is qualified to do this. Sure it will get publicity but who cares about that if it doesn't work which I think would be a risk.

Dave

maybe Jones will be coming in for the remainder of the season as a director of rugby or something and will end up taking over from Noble next term after finding his feet in league, coaching is coaching just the rules are different

The only scenario that would benefit Wigan out of this would be if Jones came as Director of Rugby and Faz as Noble's assistant.
Sanderson as forwards coach? Surely not!
If we want a forwards coach then Karl Harrison is available. Not a head coach IMO but can teach some of our younger forwards a thing or two.

got told by a player yesterday (with a smile on his face) that faz maybe getting involved in the coaching at quins

and the tactics, and the conditioning requirements.

IL being "prudent" with his spending should hopefully block the Jones deal if nothing else.

It would be a crazy decision.

Well he did sit in the home section rather than with the Wigan supporters???