Bath could look beyond Hall

There is a faint ripple of disturbance over the usually smooth waters at the Pilkington Cup holders, Bath. It had been widely reported that the club stalwart John Hall, who stepped down as captain at the end of the season, was to become the club's team manager.

The appointment was supposed to have been discussed and then rubber-stamped at the management committee meeting earlier this week. However, it has emerged that the topic was not raised. This was in part due to the fact that Hall is currently on holiday - but Bath are to hold a further management meeting after the World Cup and before their annual meeting on 20 July, and it looks as if Hall could have some challengers.

Richard Hill, the former captain and England scrum-half and now chairman of selectors at Bath, said: "There will be a one-off meeting to discuss the accounts and, before the AGM, there will another one-off meeting to discuss the coaching structure. There will be various proposals put forward. Hall's will not be the only one. There will be other people who have different ideas." Hill would not say whether he would be one of those putting forward an alternative to Hall's proposal.

The meeting did confirm one thing: the England centre Phil de Glanville, now in South Africa for the World Cup, is the new captain of Bath. The future of coach Brian Ashton is still not clear, he is expected to be in charge of coaching for the Monday and Wednesday evening sessions but will be committed to school duties on Saturdays.