Andrew ends Robinson saga with the bullet

14 April 2012

Andy Robinson will quit as England head coach after being told that he must jump or be pushed.

RFU director of elite rugby Rob Andrew stepped into the day-long crisis yesterday morning after senior officials had asked Robinson to resign over the weekend.

Now, instead of inspecting French training camps for England's defence of the World Cup, Robinson's departure will be announced from Twickenham subject to agreement on a compensation package which is believed to be worth more than £300,000.

Lawyers spent most of yesterday hammering out a deal on the remainder of Robinson's £230,000-a-year contract which has another 18 months to run.

'Nothing has been finalised yet,' he said last night after a weekend watching his three sons on the rugby field. 'It's a case of waiting to see what happens.'

England's alarming slump from No 1 in the world to No 8 after an unprecedented run of eight defeats in nine matches forced the RFU to take swift action.

Despite protests from fans over England's comprehensive 25-14 beating by South Africa, Robinson had refused to walk away from a job which had become untenable during a torturous month of four successive Tests.

He had planned to be in Paris on Monday at the start of a three-day inspection of World Cup training bases and hotels earmarked for England during the tournament, starting in Lens next September.

Instead, Robinson spent the day at home locked in telephone talks with Andrew over his future. He will be the fourth coach to part company from the RFU this year, changes which have already cost the Union more than £500,000 in pay-offs.

The latest upheaval is a tacit admission the RFU got it wrong in deciding last April that Robinson, a World Cup winner as Sir Clive Woodward's main coach three years ago, was the man to lead their defence next year. Now, with 10 months to go, they have to find a new coach.

No successor will be named immediately, buying Andrew time to fill the vacancy before England's next match, at home to Scotland in the Six Nations on February 3.

His dilemma, whether to put a short-term strategy into operation up to the World Cup or go for the longer option to the tournament in 2011, will be determined by availability.

Robinson will be the fourth Test coach to lose his job since the World Cup, following the dismissals of John Mitchell by the All Blacks, Eddie Jones by Australia and the player-power issues behind Mike Ruddock's resignation from Wales last season.

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