Rugby Football Union - Brian Ashton to coach England A

Brian Ashton to coach England A

by RFU press office


	Brian Ashton photo by Bruce Seabrook / www.gpaimages.com

27 January 2005
BRIAN ASHTON has been appointed England A coach for the international against France at Bath’s Recreation Ground on Friday 11th February (7.45pm).

The Rugby Football Union’s National Academy Manager will be assisted by John Wells of Leicester Tigers and Jon Callard of Leeds Tykes for the only A international this season.

Said England head coach Andy Robinson, "This is a tremendous group of coaches to have in charge of the all important England A game. I have no doubt their presence at the helm will fuel much excitement for this game at Bath amongst the players themselves and the sport as a whole. Those players not selected as part of the 30 man senior squad for our Wales game next week will have the opportunity to impress the A team coaches and compete for a possible place against France."

RFU Performance Director Chris Spice added: “This is a strong coaching team and we are grateful to Leeds Tykes and Leicester Tigers for releasing their coaches.

“Brian is instrumental in the development of future England players through the National Academy and it is fitting that he should bring his expertise and experience to the team environment.


U21 Coach, Jon Callard photo by www.rugbymatters.net

“Jon Callard was enormously successful with England Under 21s last season when they won the Grand Slam for the first time and John Wells is doing a great job with Leicester so we feel this trio are well suited to preparing the players for what should be a good night in Bath.”

Ashton, who returns to the Rec where he was a fixture as Bath coach between 1989 and 1996, is looking forward to linking up with Callard and Wells.

“I have worked with both before in a variety of capacities. John Wells came to North America with England in 2001 and I have got massive respect for the work he has done at Leicester,” said Ashton.

“He has got better and better as a coach and that is evidenced by the way Leicester have been performing this season.

“I have worked with Jon Callard as a player and a coach. Technically he is very good and he will be coaching the defence and the kicking. I am sure that both will get the very, very best out of the players in the short time we are together.”

In 2000 England A played Wales at a packed Rec, and with 4,000 tickets already sold, Ashton is anticipating another exciting night.

“This game gives the players a real platform to show us either why they should have been in the senior team in the first place or why they are worth considering for the future,” said Ashton.

“We have got four days together and a lot of time will be spent off our feet so that the players are fully rested and can perform at optimum level on the Friday night.

“I am really looking forward to giving the players a bit of freedom to show what they are about at international level.”

Tickets are available through the Bath Rugby Ticket Office on 0871 721 1865 with concessions in all areas for juniors and over 65s.

Profiles

BRIAN ASHTON
Position: RFU National Academy Manager, England A head coach
Born: 3.9.46, Leigh, Lancashire
Playing history (1965-1980): Tyldesley, Fylde, Orrell, A.S. Monferrand, Roma, Milano, Lancashire, North of England, Barbarians
Coaching history: England Colts, Bath (1989-1996), Ireland (1996-98), England, assistant coach (1998-2002), National Academy Manager (2002 to date).

Brian Ashton was appointed as manager of the RFU National Academy in August 2002 - the first appointment of its kind for the RFU - and has been responsible for establishing the Senior, Junior and Intermediate Academies.

Prior to taking up the Academy role, he was appointed by Sir Clive Woodward as England assistant coach in 2001 before the summer tour to North America. His previous involvement with the England side was in 1985 when they toured New Zealand.

A former scrum half who toured Australia with England in 1975, he coached Bath in a seven year period of unparalleled success between 1989 and 1986. He taught history before moving into coaching.

JON CALLARD
Position: England A assistant coach
Born: 01.01.66, Leicester
Playing history: Newport (1984-1989); Bath (1989-1999) England (5 caps, 1993-1997)
Coaching history: Assistant Coach to Andy Robinson, Bath (1997-2000) Director of Rugby at Bath 2000-2002. Assistant Coach to Phil Davies, Leeds Tykes (2002-present); England U21 Coach (October 2002-April 2004)

As a player he achieved every honour with Bath after joining them from Newport in 1989, winning three Championships, four domestic Cups and scoring all 19 points as Bath beat Brive to become the first English Champions of Europe.

He gained five caps for England and famously kicked a last-gasp penalty to win the 1994 Calcutta Cup for England at Murrayfield.

Callard has a wealth of experience, having assisted current England coach Andy Robinson at Bath before becoming Director of Rugby at the Recreation Ground, where he steered them to the Championship final in his first full season 2000-1.

After leaving Bath in 2002 he March joined the Tykes and was also appointed head coach of England U21s later that year, taking them to their first ever Grand Slam in 2004.

JOHN WELLS
Position: England A assistant coach
Born: 12.05.1963, Driffield, Yorkshire
Playing history: Loughborough Students, Newark, Leicester, Barbarians
Coaching history: Leicester Tigers forwards coach (1998-2004), head coach (2004 to date).

A blind-side flanker who came close to a senior cap in 1988 when he played in a trial for England against the Rest, having won international honours at schoolboy Under-16 and Under-18, Student, Under-23 and B levels. He captained Leicester from 1991-93 and led the team which beat Harlequins in the 1993 Pilkington Cup final.

John played in 367 matches for the Tigers’ first team, placing him 9th on the all-time list. He took over as forwards coach in 1998, and went on to become head coach in 2004.