Rugby Union: England Academy Set for Coaching Exodus

England's rugby academy, which lost its head coach Brian Ashton to Bath at the turn of the year, faces further disruption this summer, with three of its coaches likely to leave to take up posts elsewhere.

The England Under-19 coach Nigel Redman, a former Bath and England lock, has been lined up to take over as forwards coach at the Recreation Ground in succession to Michael Foley, who is returning to Australia at the end of the season to join the Wallabies' management team. Ashton's successor, Jim Mallinder, is being linked to a role with the England team as backs coach, and the England Under-21 coach Dorian West is set for a reunion with Dean Richards at the first division champions Harlequins.

West, one of England's World Cup-winning squad in 2003 who played hooker for Leicester when Richards was director of rugby there, is expected to be appointed Quins' forwards coach next month.

Mike Ruddock, who was the Wales head coach until his abrupt departure two months ago, had been linked with Foley's position at Bath, but he is still consulting employment lawyers with a view to launching an action against the Welsh Rugby Union for constructive or wrongful dismissal.

The deadline for applications to succeed Ruddock is tomorrow and the WRU chairman David Pickering said that interest in the job had been considerable, adding: "A number of good people have applied. There is a lot of support for Gareth Jenkins [the Llanelli Scarlets' coach] in Wales, which we fully understand and respect, but we are going through a professional process."

Sale yesterday signed two Welsh players, the Newport-Gwent Dragons centre Jon Bryant and the Cardiff Blues outside-half Lee Thomas. The Ireland flanker Kieron Dawson, who joined London Irish in 1996 when Sir Clive Woodward coached the Exiles, has signed a two-year contract with Ulster.

Ben Coutts, Sale's Canberra-born prop, will leave at the end of the season after signing a two-year deal with Queensland Reds, who will be led by the former Australia coach Eddie Jones after the current Super 14 series.

France's defence coach Dave Ellis has agreed an out-of-court settlement with his former club Gloucester. The Yorkshireman, whose contract at Kingsholm was ended in the summer while he was on Test duty with France in South Africa and Australia, is now coaching Castres but will be part of Bernard Laporte's set-up for the World Cup. He has already recieved approaches from several Guinness Premiership clubs.