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Cockerill with England: 'A big jump in how you conduct yourself'
Ellis Genge has described what it has been like suddenly working with Richard Cockerill at England more than four years after the rumbustious Leicester character was forced out of Tigers. It was the now 50-year-old former England hooker who originally brought the Test loosehead into the fold at the Gallagher Premiership club in February 2016. That initial loan deal from Bristol quickly became a permanent one but Genge ultimately didn’t get to spend much time being coached by the colourful Cockerill as the head coach was sacked by Leicester in January 2017.
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Nearly five years later, though, their paths have now crossed again in the workplace following the decision by Eddie Jones to bring in Cockerill as his new England forwards coach after he moved on from Edinburgh in the summer.
Having initially assembled for a two-day camp in London in September, England are now negotiating their way through a week-long preparation camp in Jersey ahead of the November internationals versus Tonga, Australia and South Africa and Genge has described how his old boss has been settling into his new role as an assistant.
“It’s good,” said Genge when asked by RugbyPass about how a coach with the reputation of being a feisty personality has been faring working under Jones in what is a very different environment to Leicester. “He is a little bit different to when I had him at Leicester but the difference between club and international is a big jump in terms of how you sort of conduct yourself.
“If you think, at Leicester he was there for 20-odd years and he was a very different character there to what he is going to be here. He is just working on building relationships with people now but he is a good operator when he gets his feet on the ground, so we are just working as hard as we can as quickly as we can to find those relationships.”
'Eddie gave me a call and sounded me out. We had a meeting and a chat around his plans from now until the World Cup and what I thought about it' https://t.co/4YJ38I3mWH
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 26, 2021
There was no radio silence between the pair in the years after Cockerill had abruptly exited Leicester. “I kept in contact with Cockers in the meantime while he was up at Edinburgh and then when he got the England job I texted to say congratulations, that he was sort of a big pillar in my career,” continued Genge. “He was the one who brought me into the Leicester environment and treated me so well. If it wasn’t for him I probably wouldn’t be sitting here in front of the camera now.”
In a follow-up media briefing, Genge added: “I’m sure at some stage we will see that hard-nosed edge that we are all very familiar with in the Leicester camp. And rightly so. That is something that will benefit us as a forward pack. At the moment, he hasn’t had the opportunity to flare up at us. But it is inevitable… and I look forward to it.
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“He is a good operator. He is good at marshalling. He was in a very different role with Leicester to what he is doing now. He was marshalling standards and if you wore the wrong socks he would go mental. He isn’t really running around here doing that as standards tend to be a bit higher and boys tend to marshal themselves. I always took maintaining standards from Cockers. And don’t p*** about!”
England skipper Farrell has been speaking from Jersey about Marcus Smith, his one-time roommate who poised to take the No10 shirt on a long-term basis from the axed George Ford#England #AutumnNationSeries #ENGvTON
https://t.co/IjByQ4k8oX— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 26, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Must be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
7 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
4 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
4 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
4 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
25 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
25 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
25 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
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