REFLECTIONS ON VICTORY OVER CALDY
“I think we prepared really well during the week. We went into the game with a good strategy and gameplan. Obviously then the weather dictated the rugby across the north. We thought we handled the conditions pretty well. We got out of the game what we could under those circumstances. If it was a Premiership game there were opportunities where we could have gone for the points but because we were playing Caldy we thought we could really challenge ourselves in different areas of the game. We probably didn’t come away with points at times when we could. Overall really happy.”
MISERABLE CONDITIONS AN EXCUSE FOR ERRORS?
“First of all the players will put their hands up straight away. But as coaches and players those conditions were challenging for both teams. We had a lot of feedback from the players that any contact on the ball it was like a bar of soap. Seeing the weather, the rain and the muddy pitch you can sympathise with the players.”
“If we look at the context of the game; you face those conditions enough times through the season over those tricky winter months. Our game management and pressure game were really good. If this was a Premiership game there were probably opportunities where we could have taken the three points and put more points on the board. Then the outcome of the game based purely on the result and the scoreline looks a lot different. But we thought we could challenge ourselves in those conditions, what we practiced throughout pre-season and put that into practice in those tough conditions. It is good learning for us. But our approach in a Premiership game would be slightly different.”
GUS WARR KICKING FOR GOAL
“Firstly Gus is a great kicker. But Rob has only just come back from injury. He has been out all pre-season struggling with a foot injury. It gives Rob a bit more time. He has missed out on weeks of not goal-kicking. I think it is just a bit of confidence. The more he is practicing and getting into it he will take over the kicking duties I’m sure. We are very fortunate that we have two really good goal-kickers.”
WILL ROB DU PREEZ KICK FOR GOAL AGAINST NORTHAMPTON IN OPENING PREM GAME?
“I think that is going to go on feel. In a couple of weeks we will see where he is at in terms of how he is training, where his confidence levels are at. If they are up there I have no doubt he will be kicking. Otherwise we are very confident in Gus and his abilities.”
DECISION TO RETIRE
“My last serious injury was against Exeter away from home where I had to get ankle surgery. I came back from that and I was a bit niggly and it became ongoing. That left me a bit frustrated. Also I have a really good relationship with all the players but specifically the back three, wingers like Tom O’Flaherty. He is a great lad and plays fantastic rugby, as does Tom Roebuck. Joe Carpenter came through really well last year, same with Arron Reed. These boys were flying.
“I knew I wanted to go into coaching and the opportunity to go into coaching was offered to me as well as an opportunity to play for one more year. So I went home, spoke to the family and thought do I delay my coaching by one more year to hold on for one more playing year. I am still in the environment and here with my mates, one year further in my coaching career. So for me it was quite easy to look back and think let’s go into the coaching role, make sure I am forward thinking and get around these youngsters I have been working with for years anyway. See if I can get the best out of them.”
THOUGHTS ABOUT GOING INTO COACHING AND MENTORING YOUNGSTERS
“I have got valuable lessons having just retired. I knew I wanted to coach. I have been coaching club rugby locally for the last seven years. I have thoroughly enjoyed that. I have been in a leadership role within Sale and I have enjoyed that. For me thinking about life after rugby it was easy for me to buy into the coaching. I have a lot of passion for it. I have a lot of knowledge around defence. I am gravitating towards the defensive side of the game first and foremost.
“As a mentor to the players I do. I have had life experiences, things when I was younger where I wish I had certain advice around about staying in the moment, staying present. But also keeping an eye on the future, what does it look like down the line for the likes of Tom Roebuck, Joe Carpenter, Arron Reed and Tom O’Flaherty? Making sure they don’t make the same mistakes I went through. It is great to be a mentor to them.
WHAT DOES HIS CURRENT ROLE ENTAIL?
“I have got a dual role. Firstly I will work with the young academy backs, trying to get them up to speed to be on a level that if over a couple of years they are developing so that when they play first-team rugby they can put their best foot forward. I don’t want a yo-yo effect going in and out. I want to give them all the skills and tools so that when they get their opportunity they take it. That will be really rewarding for me.
“Secondly I help out around defence. There are areas where I am really strong like edge defence. I will drive that. Also around our scrum; attack, defence, set-ups. I will work with our backs of the first-team.”
INTENTION TO BECOME A HEAD COACH ONE DAY?
“That is a great question. In time the top, top job I would love is a Director of Rugby. But that is so far in the future. Right now before all of that I want to be a world-class defence coach. I am young, I have just come into it. I back my knowledge around defence and the way I would like the team to defend and how to get that out of the team. But because I am young and I have a good networks from previous coaches and watching a lot of rugby I want to go and learn.
“So any opportunities I will go off and learn and challenge my knowledge against some of the best coaches in the world to have a resilient defensive system. I want to be a world-class defence coach first and foremost but if it happens thereafter that’s where I want to get to as quickly as possible. That is still going to be a decent process. I don’t know how long that is going to take. Thereafter head coach, DOR; those things will come naturally or maybe it will never come. But my main goal is going to keep me happy which is being a world-class defence coach.”
WEIRD GOING FROM A PLAYER AND TEAM-MATE TO A COACH?
“A lot of people say it is challenging. I don’t see it like that. I still see them as my friends and I treat them that way. Because there is a love and a care between me and the players I have always been really good with all the players. That is not forcefully. We also have a great group of players here. So it is easy for us to chat and communicate. Sometimes what is hard for our coaches currently is some conversations which are hard for them are easy for me because when I speak to them it is always coming from a good place. Not that it doesn’t come from a good place from the coaches but because I have just stopped playing, my relationship with the players means it is a bit easier to have those tough conversations.”
INJURY UPDATE
Nothing too serious to worry about in terms of knocks/ niggles/ injuries from the Caldy game, a couple of guys carrying a few knocks
Jean-Luc du Preez picked up a dead leg on Saturday, look after/ rotate him this week and make sure he is firing against Northampton
Squad coming together nicely, players coming back from injury
Tommy Taylor and Luke Cowan-Dickie- one of them could make an appearance on Friday against Ampthill, both coming into the squad very soon
OTHER NEWS
Relationship with the players has stayed pretty similar going from team-mate to coach
Going into this week against Ampthill- last chance to get a complete performance before Premiership starts, momentum is really important, looking for cohesion, senior players coming back into the fold
Rotation has meant everyone has had some good game-time
Disappointed by Newcastle defeat - energy levels, mentally a bit off
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