MANU’S DEPARTURE
“As I said in the statement it is still a wrench in my heart even though together we thought it was the right decision for the club and his family by way of his earnings and the stage of his career. We have got a massive void to fill in terms of the emotional consistency that he provides by way of how composed he is and the energy he gives around the place. I would say that is the biggest challenge aside from his ball carrying and ability to bang.
“It wasn’t really a persuasion thing. I believe Manu probably would have stayed. What we could have offered him isn’t what he is worth. It was a discussion over a period of conversations over what is right for the club, you, the pathway we have got for the players coming through, the succession path which he has been a part of all the way through. I owe him that much because of the legend he is. That is why I am torn. You have to wear one hat which is for the club. How we run things here is a focus and care for the person. And then it comes down to numbers, which it has. You have to be able to shelve some of your principles with the greater good of the team. If it starts to get easy for me I have probably lost a bit of my soul.
“The move pretty much puts an end to his international career if he wanted to go for big money. We don’t have that type of money. He said to me he thought it was time. For certainty I didn’t know he had a contract until last night (Tuesday 19th March). I told him I wished there was a way.
“It is probably the case at every club (wanting to send Manu off well). Every year there is rotation in playing staff. We say our goodbyes formally and we use that as fuel because the players want to send their friends off with fond memories. That is the thing that sticks with you."
TOM CURRY’S RECOVERY
“Really well. He was in the wilderness rehabbing for a few months. The nature of Tom is he is all in. He needs that space. I put to our injured players, which there was a room full, how much more could we contribute as our group. I was looking around the room and seeing all the experience in there, tell me how we can contribute more. He didn’t have any time off. He was in rehabbing and when I came back after a short break at the start of the Six Nations him and Bevan Rodd sat me down and said they had ideas of how they can make this environment better. We want to provide more and better feedback and hold ourselves more accountable. He spearheaded that, which is coinciding with his return to fitness. He is running now. If he does come back at the end of the season, which there is a slim possibility, he wants a team and club he has had some input on. He is ready to tell me how we can do the meetings and sessions better. He is very much back in the fold in terms of his contribution which I am grateful for. His hip looks good. There is an outside chance of him making a final or two if we make it.
“He has dealt with the emotional rollercoaster so well. His ability to reframe things, set new horizons and break it down into small, achievable goals is unsurpassed. He was already ok two days after the surgery. If anyone was going to get over a career-threatening injury it was going to be him and seemingly he is doing. I am not surprised and I am in awe. To push himself through the huge pain during the World Cup to get England to where they got to, what is not to respect about that.”
WAISEA NAIYACALEVU
“We have signed Waisea and another centre. That is the truth of it; we have two where we had one. It gives us the strength in depth that we need in that area whilst we keep the pathway open for the likes of Rekeiti Ma’asi-White. None of that could be achievable without us coming to that understanding with Manu. He is some player isn’t he, he is a creator, puts dents in defences, brilliant offloading ability and brings positive energy. He is some fella. I said there is a big void to fill with Manu leaving, I am hoping Waisea will. He wants to be a coach later in his career. He is proving to be very robust down in Toulon. He gives us a bit of x-factor in the backs as well as a leadership quality. You saw him during the World Cup with Fiji and how he was able to inspire that team emotionally and through his actions. I am very excited to have him on board.
“I don’t care what number they have on their back. 12 or 13, they can swap their numbers in attack or defence. The 13 channel is the most difficult one to defend. With everyone fit we will have some decisions to make about what that backline looks like with Fordy, Rob, Sam Bedlow, Waisea, Ricky.”
TOM CURTIS
“He has been on a rolling one-year contract. We wanted to commit to him two years down the line depending on what Rob du Preez and George Ford are doing. We see him being the next person to come through and take the helm here. Cohesion is king in any sporting environment. He has been with us since he was a young lad. He is some athlete, extremely committed and learning under two of the best fly halves in the Premiership. I cannot see why he wouldn’t progress to starting fly-half in three years’ time. We have backed him, the young players need backing. Almost all of our resources apart from Waisea has gone on retention and as these lads grow and mature and their market value increases you have to match it.”
ASHER OPOKU-FORDJOUR
“You will definitely see him in the next few weeks if not this weekend. He is in the early stages of his development and being able switch both sides as a prop at any age is difficult but at his age, it is freakish. He is a freakish athlete. He used to play on the wing. He has such a fast twitch. The new dimension of tightheads nowadays is they are able to scrum, carry and offload. He is taking it all on his stride. He is dead chilled out. He doesn’t seem to be fazed and that is probably his biggest string in his bow. When he steps up to that level he approaches it like any other game. It doesn’t affect his mentality. Some people go within themselves, especially at prop where they revert to bad techniques, and he doesn’t do that. He is a very fast learner which is why his rise has been meteoric. The higher level he has gone to the more he takes in. I am really excited but we have to look after him because he is young. If you don’t look after them they end up getting neck injuries. I don’t want him to get injured. England seem him as a loosehead and I see him as a tighthead. Tightheads earn more money. I don’t know tightheads who can do what he can do.”
OTHER NEWS
Ben Curry back in training today (Wednesday 20th March)
Nick Schonert a doubt for the weekend having gone off last week in the friendly against Northampton, chronic Achilles issues
Jonny Hill staying, very committed and happy for at least one more season
Le Roux Roets direct replacement for Cobus Wiese
Cam Neild and Hyron Andrews on short-term deals, injury cover, something will have to go wrong or injuries to create more injury dispensation for us to keep them on
Alex Wills- brilliant during U20 Six Nations, missed last game due to illness, signed on for another three years, dead lucky to have him
As strong physically as we were at start of the season, all about the mental side of the game, got a number of players back from injury
Loves memory of that first walk with Manu, getting to know him personally, struck a great understanding, hoping to make better memories with him over the next few months
Happy with retention, pretty much been able to keep everyone we wanted to