Stuart Lancaster could be set to return to Rugby Union after Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal arranged a meeting with the former England head coach to discuss the possibility of taking over the former three-time European Champions.
Without a permanent job since England’s dismal elimination from the 2015 Rugby World Cup, interest in the 46-year-old is apparently high according to The Telegraph, as a number of high profile jobs in Super Rugby with the Queensland Reds and Western Force are currently unoccupied and Lancaster is considering all options before making a final decision.
Toulon owner Boudjellal has already pencilled in the meeting on Thursday in Paris and is apparently prepared to offer Lancaster a two to three year deal with a view to a complete overhaul in the restructuring of the club.
However, the situation at Stade Mayol is far more complicated with the chairman having a serious falling out with recently-installed head coach Diego Dominguez, who had previously been understudy to departing Bernard Laporte, who is now running a campaign to become the next French rugby Federation president.
And Lancaster, who more recently has been on a number of advisory bodies, including the Football Association and British Cycling, could be the more suitable individual to control the tumultuous situation currently unfolding at Toulon.
One of Dominguez’ biggest concerns was his refusal to work alongside one of Boudjellal’s most recent appointments, forwards coach, Marc dal Maso, who previously was part of Eddie Jones’ backroom staff at Japan, therefore resulting in Boudjellal looking for an alternative head coach.
And concerns were already beginning to creep into the back of the chairman’s mind following Toulon’s 29-21 defeat to Racing 92 in the Top 14 final at the Nou Camp in Barcelona on June 24th, with the reality that a coach of Lancaster’s quality being available too hard to pass up on.
