England forwards coach Joe El Abd is set to leave his role after the 2027 Rugby World Cup, with his next move reportedly already decided.
England have confirmed that he will be taking up a role in the Top 14 after the tournament concludes, although they didn't officially announce his next move.
Midi Olympique reports that El Abd will join Clermont after the tournament in Australia.
The 46-year-old will be iinitially working alongside head coach Christophe Urios before eventually taking over the club's sporting responsibilities.
Urios is expected to extend his contract with Clermont by three years, but the French club is already planning for a change in leadership.
El Abd is reportedly set to join Clermont after the 2027 World Cup and work alongside Urios for at least one season.
The pair previously worked together at Castres, where they helped the club win the Top 14 title in 2018. Clermont's plan is for El Abd to gradually take control of the club's sporting operations.
Urios is expected to reduce his day-to-day coaching responsibilities next season before eventually moving into a sporting director role.
El Abd will initially work closely with Urios as he familiarises himself with the club before taking on greater responsibility.
The long-term plan is for Urios to move into a senior position away from the pitch, with El Abd eventually becoming Clermont's sole sporting boss.
The club president is expected to formally discuss the changes to the coaching staff at a press conference later today.
El Abd took charge of his current role with England ahead of the 2024 Autumn Nations Series.
Before that, he worked as forwards and defence coach at Castres Olympique, helping the club win the Top 14 title in 2018.
He later became director of rugby at Oyonnax, guiding the club back to the Top 14 in 2023.
During his first year with England, El Abd also remained director of rugby at Oyonnax before eventually switching his focus entirely to his England role.
That experience of overseeing a coaching transition could be a small factor in Clermont's decision to bring him in, although it is only a minor detail.
As a player, El Abd was a flanker who represented Bath Rugby and Bristol Bears, making 138 appearances and captaining Bristol. He also played for Toulon and Oyonnax.
Speaking after the announcement that he would be leaving England, El Abd said,
“I’m
incredibly proud of my time with England since joining in 2024 and I’m
thoroughly enjoying being part of this set-up.
“There
is a huge amount that I still want to achieve with England and my focus between
now and the World Cup won’t change.
“After that, the
opportunity to return to France is one I’m excited about. A large part of my
life has been spent playing and coaching in France, and it’s a country that is
home to me and my young family.
“But
there is plenty of work to do before then. I’m fully committed to giving
everything I can to help England achieve success, starting with our Nations
Championship games at Allianz Stadium next month.”
Commenting
on El-Abd’s decision, England Head Coach Steve Borthwick said:
“Joe is an
outstanding coach and continues to make a significant contribution to both the
team and the environment.
"His knowledge of the game and the quality of his
coaching, have made him a hugely valuable member of our coaching team.
“I know he will
continue to give everything to the team and will be working as hard as ever to
help us achieve success over the next 12 months.
"Thereafter, I am sure he will
go on to great success back in France.”
No reports have yet indicated who Steve Borthwick may bring in to replace El Abd after the World Cup, should he remain in his head coach position following the tournament.
