EXCLUSIVE: 'One or two players have stood up already and said things which are quite humbling' - Mike Ford
Just 240 minutes stand between Germany and a place at their first ever Rugby World Cup. Yet, as the squad gathered a fortnight ago to begin preparations for November’s Repechage tournament it still felt to many like an improbable dream.
For the past two weeks the 20 or so national team players who ply their trade in the country’s Bundesliga have been meeting in Heidelberg at 8am, some travelling as much as two hours to be there, training until 1pm and then departing for day jobs and evening work with their clubs.
Overseeing the sessions is Mike Ford, the former Bath and Toulon boss who has been brought in with the help of World Rugby to try to navigate a route to Japan alongside director of rugby Kobus Potgieter.
Their task is not an easy one. Ford has been unable to work with a full squad since starting work as head coach on September 3, the number of German players overseas having swelled since the WILD Academy was disbanded this summer.
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Lineout work and set-piece strategy will have to wait until next month, when those foreign-based players will arrive for two week-long training camps. It is not ideal, especially when you consider Canada – who Germany face on November 17 – have been together since early July.
But, according to Ford, it is not a hopeless situation. The carrot at the end of the stick, a place in Pool B alongside New Zealand and South Africa, has fostered a drive within the squad that has energised their esteemed coach.
“You’re humbled by their commitment,” Ford tells RugbyPass. “They do it because they dream of playing in a World Cup.
“What it means to these guys to go to Japan and just be on the same pitch as the All Blacks or South Africa, it will be a dream come true for these guys.
“You have one career, don’t you, and they’ll be the first players that take Germany to the World Cup. For themselves, they can tell their grandkids that they played at the World Cup in 2019.”
It has been quite a journey for the majority of Ford’s squad already. Some had to cope with the abrupt end of their lives as full-time professionals when Dr Hans-Peter Wild withdrew funding from his eponymous academy in June, others whose international careers were only ignited due to last season’s strike that resulted from the Heidelberg-born businessman’s stand-off with the German Rugby Federation (DRV).
In the meantime a potential route to Japan opened up as Romania and Spain fell foul of eligibility rules and a play-off win over Portugal set up a two-legged clash with Samoa. A heavy defeat in Apia effectively ended any hopes of direct qualification but the Pacific Islanders were given a scare in the return leg, fortunate to end the match 42-28 victors.
“You want to give these guys the best possible chance to have a crack to get to the World Cup,” Ford adds. “When you’re working with players who are that committed and that driven to do something, and yet it’s not all there for you, it’s not on a platter for them, it makes you want to be part of it.
“I want to grow that and encourage that motivation from within the squad. I think we might not be the best team or we might not be the highest ranked, but I want us to be the team with the most desire to get there.
“And that could go a long way.”
Preparation could prove pivotal in Marseille. Canada, for example, who spent August in France and played friendlies against Castres and Clermont-Auvergne, are planning to use the Americas Pacific Challenge as a final warm-up.
Kenya, meanwhile, have organised four warm-up matches, with opposition including Namibia and culminating against Romania a week before the Repechage. Hong Kong too will have had four months to prepare by the time the action in Marseille kicks off.
By contrast Germany’s plans were only signed-off by the DRV in mid-August. Potgieter spent much of last week on the phone as he secured two friendlies in October, both against club sides.
The director of rugby, who has worked with the national team for the past decade, is also in contact with four German-qualified players – one with Super Rugby and Gallagher Premiership experience – as he attempts to bolster a squad hampered by retirements and injuries.
Working in this environment has reminded Ford that there is a world away from the bubble of professional rugby where people get involved “because of the love of the game, and it’s not about the money”.
“One or two players have stood up already and said things which are quite humbling, that these guys, who do what they do, have this dream,” he says. “I just want to help them as much as I can. I want to do my bit so that they have the best possible chance of achieving that.
“There’s a togetherness in the group of players I’ve coached. There’s a togetherness and for those guys the task is the Rugby World Cup.”
Whether Ford stays in Heidelberg beyond November is dependent entirely on qualification for the World Cup.
He gets on well with DRV president Robin Stalker and while talks about extending his contract in the event of winning the Repechage have not taken place, he is confident he would be able to combine his role on a part-time or consultancy basis with his commitments at the Dallas Griffins.
But while he attempts to fire his players’ World Cup dreams, he insists he is not driven by a desire to be a head coach on the Test game’s biggest stage. The glory would be reserved for the players, and for Potgieter and the coaching staff: Mouritz Botha, Paul Healy and Pieter Jordaan.
“It’s not about me being head coach leading a team to the World Cup, I wouldn’t see it like that at all,” Ford explains. “I would just see it as me coming in and helping that group of coaches and that group of players achieve what they’ve put a lot of time and effort in for.
“If we did manage to pull off the dream for this group of people then I would sit down and talk about going to the World Cup together.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
1 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
2 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
19 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments