On This Day in 2012: Stuart Lancaster succeeds Martin Johnson as England boss
It was a big step up for the former Leeds Tykes player and ex-school teacher.
Stuart Lancaster succeeded Martin Johnson as England’s head coach on this day in 2012.
Following the resignation of former England captain and lock Johnson in November 2011 after the Red Rose’s World Cup failure in New Zealand, Lancaster was placed in interim charge for the upcoming Six Nations campaign.
It was a big step up for the former Leeds Tykes player and ex-school teacher, who had previously been employed in a dual role as the coach of England Saxons and the RFU’s head of player development.
Lancaster guided the senior men’s side to a second-placed Six Nations finish behind Wales with four wins from five and on the back of that was promoted to the full-time job on a contract until the end of the 2015 World Cup.
“Being head coach of your national team in any sport (is an honour), but to do it at a time when we’ve got a World Cup in our own country is a huge, huge honour,” he said at the time.
“It’s been everything that I’ve worked towards, going through all the coaching qualifications. For me to get to the pinnacle it’s an unbelievable honour.”
Lancaster resigned in November 2015 after a disastrous World Cup in which his side became the first English team, and the first former world champions, to be knocked out in the group stages.
Since September 2016 he has worked as a senior coach for successful Irish province Leinster.
