A route may have opened up for Shaun Edwards to join the England men’s coaching staff.
Joe El Abd is set to leave his position as England forwards coach after the 2027 Rugby World Cup, with Clermont reportedly lined up as his next destination.
England have confirmed that El Abd will return to France following the tournament, while Midi Olympique reports that he will join Clermont and initially work alongside head coach Christophe Urios.
The pair previously worked together at Castres, helping the club win the Top 14 title in 2018. Urios is expected to extend his Clermont contract by three years, with plans for him to gradually move into a sporting director position.
El Abd would then assume greater responsibility for Clermont’s sporting operations before eventually becoming the club’s main sporting figure.
The 46-year-old joined England in 2024 following coaching spells with Castres and Oyonnax, where he guided the club back into the Top 14.
Despite confirming his departure, El Abd insists his attention remains firmly on helping England achieve success before returning to France after the World Cup.
Speaking after the announcement, 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.”
England head coach Steve Borthwick also paid tribute to El Abd’s contribution to the national team.
Commenting on his decision, 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.
There have been no reports yet suggesting who Borthwick could bring in to replace El Abd after the 2027 World Cup, should he remain in charge following the tournament.
One potential candidate could be Shaun Edwards, who has already revealed he would be open to joining the England men’s coaching set-up.
Edwards recently agreed to a short-term consultancy role with the England women’s team following his six-year spell with France. His current role will run until the end of the WXV Global Series.
The 59-year-old has won seven Six Nations titles during his coaching career, including four with Wales and three with France.
Speaking to The Telegraph about his desire to be an international head coach, Edwards said: “Absolutely, yes, and they would be getting a very motivated and ambitious coach.
“I would like to think I am a better coach now than I have ever been."
Edwards also admitted he would love the chance to win a Six Nations title with a third country.
“I am very determined and it would be nice to win the Six Nations with a third team, having done it with Wales and France. I love the Six Nations. Anything like that I would be very, very open to.”
