Robinson to Return to Rugby As Head Coach at Sale

The former England wing Jason Robinson will return to rugby union as the head coach of the Guinness Premiership team Sale Sharks, according to reports today. Robinson, who won the World Cup with England in 2003, made his last professional appearance in the 2007 final and had previously said he was happy in retirement. But he has been persuaded to return to the club where he spent seven years of his playing career by the new Sale director of rugby, Kingsley Jones, and is expected to become head coach from the start of next season.

Robinson, who played nine years of rugby league before changing codes and winning more than 50 caps for England, scored more than 200 points for Sale and led the Sharks to their first ever Premiership title in 2005. He worked with Jones, who was Sale's forwards coach, during that period and will now take his first major coaching role.

Jones had been the head coach at Sale since 2004 before he replaced Philippe Saint-Andre as director of rugby in December last year. The former England scrummage coach, Phil Keith-Roach, will also join Sale as forwards and scrummage coach.

Sale are currently second in the Guinness Premiership, despite losing the likes of Sébastien Chabal, Jason White and Sébastien Bruno at the end of last season.