England’s World Cup-winning captain Martin Johnson might be asked to take over as coach to his English Premiership club, Leicester.
Johnson (33), who will not say before Christmas whether he will continue his Test career, could be offered the Leicester job if current coach Dean Richards goes to Stade Francais. Reports on Tuesday said that would happen if the French side’s own coach, Nick Mallett, took over from Rudolf Straeuli as Springbok coach.
Straeuli’s fate could be decided on Thursday when he delivers his World Cup report to the South African Rugby Football Union, which is investigating the now notorious ”Kamp Staaldraad” pre-World Cup boot camp and the Geo Cronje-Quinton Davids racism row.
Mallett coached South Africa up to the 1999 World Cup when they lost in the semifinals to Australia and would only return on his own terms and with certain assurances.
Mallett took over at Stade Francais from former Queensland Reds coach John Connolly two years ago and led them to the French championship title in June.
They have not been too good this year and, without their four French World Cup players and three Argentine World Cup players, have lost the first four matches in the French championship.
Leicester, who beat Stade by four points in the 2001 final, travel to Paris on Saturday for their opening European Cup pool match. — Sapa-AFP