England hand Callard plum coaching role

A week of mixed emotions for Jon Callard, Bath's former coach, took the sweetest of twists yesterday when he was installed as the new head coach of the England Under-21 team ahead of his first competitive return to his old club with high-flying Leeds tomorrow.

The timing of Callard's elevation to the national set-up could scarcely be more ironic, given the resentment his friends say he still feels towards certain members of the Bath hierarchy following his abrupt departure from the Recreation Ground last March after almost 14 years as player and coach.

Leeds are currently second in the Zurich Premiership compared to Bath's position of 10th but Callard, replaced by the former Wallaby hooker Michael Foley, will resist the massive temptation to gloat as he concentrates on ensuring Leeds build on their early-season record of one defeat in six league games.

"I'm not working any harder this season than I did last year but coming to Leeds has been a wonderful challenge," said Callard. "I've got huge time for the majority of people at Bath. A lot of people have stood by me and been loyal over the years and I think I had a good relationship with the fans. There's a lot of muck to be uncovered one day about what happened last season but I'd like to think some people will respect the fact I did a little bit for the club.

"At some stage I'd like people to know what went on because they have a right to know, not because it's a bit of therapy for me. It's only just over a year ago that we were third in the league and in the play-off final. I'd love to be a dire tor of rugby again but my sole aim at the moment is ensuring Leeds stay in the Premiership."

Callard will be assisted in his England Under-21 work by two other recent internationals, Nigel Redman and Paul Grayson, under the management of Peter Drewett.

The England head coach Clive Woodward, meanwhile, will be unable to watch his two leading England fly-halves in direct opposition when Sale meet Newcastle on Sunday. Sale's Charlie Hodgson is still struggling with a knee injury and will miss the chance to line up against the Falcons' Jonny Wilkinson.

The Bath flanker James Scaysbrook, shown a yellow card following a clash with Austin Healey earlier this month, has had his appeal upheld by a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel. The former Springbok scrum-half Werner Swanepoel, now captain of Worcester, has been banned for two weeks after being found guilty of kicking a London Welsh player in the face.

Saracens have appointed the head coach Wayne Shelford's younger brother Darrel as assistant coach.