REPORTS | Gallagher Premiership side want Richard Cockerill

Rugby Pass has reported this morning that the current Edinburgh head coach is Gloucester's top target to replace departing Johan Ackermann, who left to take over Japanese club NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes.

Gloucester CEO Lance Bradley revealed at a Q&A yesterday: “The fact that we are unable to train yet means that we have more time before we need to appoint a new Head Coach.

“We will be talking to our shortlist over the coming weeks, and plan to make an announcement in early July.”

The 49-year-old seems very happy in the Scottish capital, and still has a year remaining on his contract with the PRO14 club.

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It's believed the Cherry & Whites are exploring the option of buying the Englishman out of that current deal in order to bring him to Kingsholm ahead of the 2020/21 season.

After two spells playing for Leicester and a two year-stint at Montferrand, Cockerill spent 12 years in coaching roles at his home club, Tigers, rising through the ranks to become Head Coach in 2009 and then Director of Rugby in 2010. He led the team to Premiership semi-finals every season he was in charge and won back-to-back titles in 2009, 2010 and a subsequent title in 2013.

He also reached the 2009 Heineken Cup Final in Edinburgh with Leicester and won the LV Cup in 2012. Cockerill earned 27 England caps in a distinguished playing career.

Here are four possible replacements for the South African:

Following England’s Rugby World Cup failure in 2015, Lancaster has begun to re-establish himself as a top coach since joining Leinster. 

There is no need for him to leave the Irish, where he is having a very enjoyable and successful stint, but increased responsibility at one of English rugby’s biggest clubs?

If Gloucester are willing to meet the compensation requirement to buy him out of his current contract, it must be a tempting proposition.

The former Leicester head coach arrived at Edinburgh on a two-year deal in 2017 and signed a two-year extension before his first season was finished.

The former England international has made a major impact, leading Edinburgh to three European quarter-finals with this season’s campaign unfinished, and guiding them to top spot in Guinness PRO14 Conference B before the coronavirus pandemic forced a suspension of play.

This would be a fantastic appointment.

The Welshman is on the hunt for a new role after leaving Wasps earlier this season.

Captained Wales at rugby union and league and cut his teeth as a coach with Cardiff Blues, eventually guiding them to Anglo-Welsh Cup with a thrashing of Gloucester at Twickenham and European Challenge Cup glory by beating Jonny Wilkinson’s star-studded Toulon in Marseilles.

Quit the Blues the following year for Wasps and had done a decent job of turning them into a team challenging for top honours after overcoming a financial crisis by moving to Coventry.

The 49-year-old is serving a ban for placing bets on more than 1,000 rugby matches over four years in breach of the game's regulations. However, he could come into contention when his suspension ends in June 2020.

As well as acting as Gatland's assistant with Wales, Howley took over the head coach role when the New Zealander was in charge of the British and Irish Lions in 2013 and 2017 - guiding Wales to the Six Nations title in 2013.

As a player he won 59 Wales caps and played in two Lions Tests.