1
Crisis club Yorkshire turn the clock back with Phil Davies' appointment
Relegation-threatened Yorkshire Carnegie are hoping that ex-Namibia boss Phil Davies can safeguard their Championship status after the 56-year-old was appointed as successor to the sacked Martyn Wood.
ADVERTISEMENT
The former England international had lost all 13 of his matches in charge, seven in the league to leave the club facing the threat of relegation to National One.
This lack of victories was no surprise, as Wood had minimal time to assemble a squad after Yorkshire switched to a part-time set-up. However, he paid the ultimate price earlier in the week and has now been replaced as director of rugby by Davies, the former Wales backrow who was the most successful coach in his club’s history.
Davies was at the helm when Leeds Tykes were promoted to the Premiership for the first time in 2001, qualified twice for the Heineken Cup and won the 2005 Powergen Cup final at Twickenham.
After a decade in Leeds, he moved on to Cardiff Blues, Scarlets and Worcester Warriors before leading Namibia to consecutive World Cups, including last year in Japan where the minnows had the temerity to briefly lead the All Blacks in a pool match in Tokyo.
(Continue reading below…)
WATCH: RugbyPass travelled to Brecon to see how life after rugby is treating Andy Powell
Digging Yorkshire out of the mire will be a massive task, but he insists he is ready for the challenge. “I am honoured to be returning to the club,” he told the Carnegie website.
ADVERTISEMENT
“When a friend or family member is in need, your natural reaction is to offer any help you can and the club has always felt like family to me. After the World Cup with Namibia, I had decided to take a break from coaching but this is an opportunity too important to turn down.
“First and foremost, I want to work with the current coaching and playing staff to move things forward and fight to keep our place in the Greene King IPA Championship.
Four months after his arrival was angrily greeted on Twitter, Joe Ford is now in charge for the time being at struggling Yorkshirehttps://t.co/YzI5TW4FNM
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 31, 2019
“We will look to strengthen the squad in the short term, if possible, but looking longer term, we want to create a strategic plan for rugby union in Leeds in order to provide a sustainable future for the sport at an elite level in the city.”
As well as running the rugby operation of the club, Davies will also join the board of directors. Managing director Chris Gibson explained: “We are delighted to be able to bring Phil Davies back ‘home’.
ADVERTISEMENT
“His decade at the club was a very special time for everyone connected to the club. The fact that he is returning so he can try and make a difference speaks volumes for the affection he holds the club in.
“We have 15 games left this season and all our energies will be focused on trying to finish the season as strongly as possible.”
WATCH: Follow every game from the Gallagher Premiership and Guinness PRO14 LIVE in the RugbyPass Match Centre with live commentary, scores, stats and more including HD streaming in some countries
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
51 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
51 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
51 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
51 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
51 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
51 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
51 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments