Premiership bosses more vulnerable to sackings, says Rugby Coaches Association - Ruck
BATH, ENGLAND - MAY 23: Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill looks on ahead of the Aviva Premiership Semi Final match between Bath Rugby and Leicester Tigers at Recreation Ground on May 23, 2015 in Bath, England. (Photo by Ben Hoskins/Getty Images)
Rugby News

Premiership bosses more vulnerable to sackings, says Rugby Coaches Association

6 January 2017
Rugby Rucker
  • Richard Cockerill became the third boss sacked in eight months on Monday
  • Leicester are fifth in the table, just five points adrift of Bath in fourth spot
  • Rob Baxter also says a “sacking culture” comparable to football
The recent spike in Premiership sackings shows a “worrying trend”, says the Rugby Coaches Association (RCA).

Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter also says a “sacking culture” comparable to football is creeping into rugby union.

And, when asked whether rugby union was heading towards a hire-and-fire approach, Baxter told BBC Spotlight: “The facts state that it is.”

Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill became the third boss sacked in eight months on Monday, while five left in five years before 2016.

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“It appears that coaches are a lot more vulnerable than they had been,” said RCA founder and director Richard Moon.

“There have been more – but ever more interestingly it’s when they are happening,” added  Moon. “They are tending, more recently, to happen during a season rather than at the end of a season.

“They are tending, more recently, to happen during a season rather than at the end of a season.

“As an association we are keeping an eye on these developments. More and more, if coaches are not given a reasonable and realistic chance to get to where they want to be in a season, short-termism is of real concern.”

Cockerill was sacked 12 games into the campaign with Leicester fifth in the table, just five points adrift of Bath in fourth spot.