Speculation last month that Anthony Seibold will quit as the England defence coach after just a year in that job has been confirmed as true by the RFU, who kicked off Tuesday morning by announcing the name of the coach who will replace the Australian at the end of this month’s four-game Autumn Nations Series.
It was October 13 when 2021 England recruit Seibold was linked with a return to rugby league’s NRL, the code where he learned the coaching ropes, and he will now be replaced by another coach who served his apprenticeship in rugby’s 13-a-side sport.
A statement read: “England have appointed Brett Hodgson as defence coach to start after the Autumn Nation Series. Anthony Seibold will leave at the end of the series to join NRL side Manly Warringah Sea Eagles where he has been appointed head coach.
“Hodgson has joined up with the wider staff at Pennyhill Par where England are preparing for this weekend’s game against Japan at Twickenham Stadium. He will shadow Seibold in the upcoming weeks.
“Hodgson enjoyed a distinguished playing career, making more than 200 appearances in the NRL in his native Australia before moving to England where he won the prestigious Man of Steel award with Huddersfield Giants in the Super League. He moved into coaching in 2013 with Hull and Widnes Vikings. He subsequently joined Wests Tigers before returning to England as the Hull head coach in 2020.”
Seibold was appointed by England after John Mitchell quit for Wasps in the summer of 2021 and the irony is that Mitchell is working for Japan, next Saturday’s England opponents at Twickenham six days after last weekend’s surprise loss to Argentina.
