RFU step up recruitment drive after Farrell snub

Rugby Football Union chief executive Ian Ritchie has vowed to deliver Stuart Lancaster a “world-class coaching team” despite failing to persuade Andy Farrell to join the England set-up.

Lancaster had told the RFU he wanted to keep in place the interim management team that helped guide a new-look England side to second place in the RBS 6 Nations.

While forwards coach Graham Rowntree is already on the Twickenham payroll, the RFU had been in negotiations with Saracens over Farrell’s release for the last fortnight.

But the Aviva Premiership champions announced on Thursday that Farrell had decided to remain with the club, amid reports that negotiations had stalled.

“While Andy was clearly an important part of the coaching team during the course of the RBS 6 Nations, we fully respect his wishes to continue as a coach at Saracens,” Ritchie said.

“We will continue to work hard with Stuart Lancaster to build a world-class coaching team as we look towards the Rugby World Cup in 2015.”

Farrell’s decision to stay with Saracens is a serious blow to Lancaster, who must now decide how to replace him in time for England’s three-Test summer tour of South Africa.

Wayne Smith, the attack specialist who helped New Zealand win the 2011 World Cup, is a strong long-term candidate having already expressed an interest in working with England.

But Smith is currently unavailable until after the summer tour, having vowed to see out the Super Rugby season with the Waikato Chiefs.