Big Interview: Why the England job is not on Dean Richards' wish list

New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, Wales, Australia and England are all being tipped to triumph in Japan.

France are another side who can produce some outstanding rugby on their day, while host nation Japan stunned South Africa in England four years ago under the guidance of current England boss Eddie Jones.

At present, it is the All Blacks who are the shortest price with the bookmakers as they look to make history by reclaiming the trophy they won in 2011 and 2015.

But with so little separating the top six, the title of world champions really is up for grabs.

It is Australian Jones who leads England’s quest for glory in Asia.

But had history been different, it could so easily have been Dean Richards – a man who, without doubt, has one of the finest rugby brains in the world.

Widely seen as one of the best number eights ever to have played the game, Richards has enjoyed a hugely successful coaching career with Leicester Tigers, FC Grenoble, Harlequins and current side Newcastle Falcons.

But 10 years ago the coach hit the headlines for the wrong reasons, following an incident that became known as ‘bloodgate’.

In charge of Harlequins at the time, the scandal saw Richards’ team use fake blood capsules in order to be able to make additional substitutions.

As a result of the incident, Richards was banned from coaching for three seasons.

But since that day, he has successfully rebuilt his coaching career with many believing he should be the next England boss.

Whatever happens in Japan though, the job is of no interest to the 56-year-old, which he confirmed in an exclusive interview with the Express & Star.

“It still stands – I have no interest,” Richards said.

“I just don’t fancy it. It is a totally different job to being a director of rugby at a club.

“There is more politics, more dealing with the media.

“All the stuff that I find very difficult and don’t like, you’d be expected to do more of.

“I am a little bit blunt, a little bit straight-talking and certainly not one for politics at all. It’s just not for me.”

Richards may not be an England coach in waiting, but there are few people better placed to assess their chances in Japan.

Currently ranked third in the world, Jones’ side had a somewhat underwhelming Six Nations earlier this year.

They surprisingly drew with Scotland and slipped to defeat against Wales as the Welsh went on to claim the Grand Slam.

But Richards doesn’t think that competition will have any bearing at the World Cup.

“I still think England are capable of winning the World Cup,” he continued. “I know everyone will look at the Six Nations and have doubts after the games against Wales and Scotland, but I read absolutely nothing into the Six Nations at all.

“Jones was experimenting in certain positions during that tournament.

“To do it they are going to have to find a high level of consistency, pick people in the right positions and then turn up.

“But they have world-class players. They are capable of winning it.”

Like everyone else, Richards is expecting the competition to be unpredictable.

“It’s a tournament that is going to be far from straightforward.” he said.

“New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, Wales, Australia and England are all going to fancy their chances.

“But the French can be outstanding on their day.

“I think there is the potential for some of the other teams to spring a surprise too.

“You look at the last World Cup when the Japanese beat South Africa. Anything can happen.

“A lot of people are tipping New Zealand but I think for them to win it three times around is a tough call – especially with the number of good teams that are out there.”

A fiery character, Jones won the Six Nations with England in 2016 and 2017.

But he snapped at a reporter when asked if he felt the World Cup would define his time England’s head coach.

And Richards can understand why he was angry with the question.

“Eddie Jones has been around a long time,” the director of rugby continued.

“He has been to World Cup final before. One competition doesn’t define a coach at all.

“I think he was asked that question and he bit at it and I can understand why he bit at it.

“Your coaching career can last 30 years, it is unfair to judge someone on just one competition.”

Away from England and the World, Cup, Richards is dealing with the emotions surrounding his Falcons side being relegated from the Premiership and is plotting an immediate return to the top flight.

It is yet another test of his managerial credentials which were first honed while he was a policeman.

Before rugby went professional, Richards was a police constable for Leicestershire Constabulary while also playing for Leicester Tigers.

And he says that job taught him an awful lot about people.

“I think it helped me understand people and it also helped me anticipate situations pretty well,” he said.

“It also made sure that I’m not fazed by much.

“Throughout my rugby career I have been pretty cool.

“When I was playing, everyone else would be warming-up, running around and beating their chests.

“But I would be sat there reading the programme knowing full well what I needed to.

“It helped me from a psychology point of view when it came to preparing for games. And it helped me when managing people.

“It helped me understand their wants and needs and what makes them tick. I learnt an awful lot in that time.”