How 'very smart' ex-GAA star introduced by O'Gara is aiding Gloucester

Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington believes the leadership training of Jonny Cooper, the former Gaelic football star, can help the club’s bid for a second trophy success this season as they prepare to face Benetton in the European Challenge Cup semi-final at Kingsholm on Saturday.

Cooper, who won seven All-Ireland titles in his career and has now set up a leadership company, was introduced to Skivington by Ronan O’Gara, the La Rochelle head coach, when the West Country side travelled to the French coast in the European Champions Cup last season.

Skivington has shared the Gloucester captaincy within the squad this season with England No8 Zach Mercer taking the role against Exeter Chiefs last weekend.

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Skivington said: “I met Jonny in La Rochelle last summer and Ronan knew him and he is a very smart guy. He has held some leadership workshops with us and there are so many different leaders – those who do it from the front and others who do it in the herd.

“Just finding out the balance is key and Jonny works on leadership skills and Jonny is highly decorated in Gaelic sport and has lot of experience. Jonny has been working with us this season and has been great for the guys.

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“When we have spread the captaincy about the guys have done a really good job and there are lads who don’t get the chance to wear the armband who have really grown within the group. Zach did a good job although it was a tough game to do your first captaincy.”

Gloucester remained in ninth position in the Gallagher Premiership after losing 38- 17 at home to Exeter Sunday, with a performance that raised questions about the team’s ability to add another trophy to the Premiership Rugby Cup they won earlier in the season. However, Skivington is hoping the growing leadership group and internationals like Jonny May and Chris Harris can ensure the team stay on course for another trophy.

He added: “There is a good collective in the team who understand knockout rugby and Jonny has been to World Cup finals and it doesn’t get more knockout than that. You have to lean on their experience and we are a team when we are engaged and focus on ourselves, we are a lot better than last weekend when we took our eye off the ball a little bit.

“It was very disappointing against Exeter and I was very honest about how we would use those games and there was an opportunity for people to put their hands up (for selection). There are dangers and while I wasn’t expecting it to be pretty against Exeter I was expecting it to be better than it was.

“We talked about the trap of looking a week ahead and emotionally we weren’t in the right position to play a team like Exeter who are fighting in the Premiership (play offs).

“We have invested in the two cup campaigns after our poor run in the Premiership and reached the knockout stages and we have had a season of really good highs and really low lows.

“Everyone understands how we have had to dig ourselves out and then had some good moments – it has been a highly emotional year where we have been challenged all over the place. You go through all of that to compete for something and I don’t anticipate anyone in this building taking this lightly.

“Benetton are loaded with Italy internationals and have invested in building a good squad and it will be a really tough challenge for us. It is quite impressive to see their strength in depth in a lot of positions. They are dogged and very united as a team, their attack is really strong and they do all the fundamentals well and enjoy what they are doing.”