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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.
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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.
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.
“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.
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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.
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“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.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I reckon it may be Jordan at 10 and Nohamba at 9, both players have played together alot and both have been on the Radar for a long time. After Pollard got injured in 2022 with Elton sidelined on a path of self destruction Erasmus and Nienaber indicated that the other options in the country at the time were thin but that Jordan and Manie were the 2 they were looking at. In the and Frans steyn played flyhalf, Willemse slotted in there on the end of year with Libbok as back up. Jordan was right there in the thinking back then so expect him to take the Jersey either as the starter.
1 Go to commentsHaha did he always say it in a sarcastic teacher sort of manor or was it the petulant English snob sort of wail?
37 Go to commentsWell said Mils. It is a big boost at last having Fergus Burke back at 10 for the Crusaders. Had a great season last year as the article says. Mils is also right about captain Codie Taylor’s performance in his return to the Crusaders last week. He was all class.
4 Go to commentsLet’s make them both Capt. I think we'd get the best of both of them and it would help alleviate some of the pressures of the role. They'd have to confer over on field decisions which should lead to “ learnings “ for both. They are our two best consistent performers.
16 Go to commentsOur best player by far..but not a good Captain..poor tactician cost the AB'S and Canes games by not taking the easy points and going for tries when the lineouts were a shambles..can he read a game? And his throat slitting gesture should disqualify him from the AB Captaincy..it is not the appropriate behaviour of an AB Captain.
16 Go to commentsForget what was said or how many players said it. TONY BROWN IS THE NEW ATTACK COACH. That’s the only story worth freaking out over. The springboks are going to grow their game an awful lot over the next cycle and it’s not just the 19 disgustingly arrogant Irish players who refused to shake Ebens hand and said “see you in the final if you can cheat your way past France” who will find that out first hand.
122 Go to commentsOn one hand I think it's a bit ridiculous that this gar into the season and with only 2 wins the Crusaders may make the finals. On the other hand if it was only top 4 or 5, then that last several weeks may be mainly dead rubbers. Nope, 8th place after round robin shouldn't be able to lift the trophy.
4 Go to commentsI do think the media in NZ treated him badly. Sam is a legend. He is humble, a great rugby mind and leader. What happened in the final could happen to anyone. The margins is so fine these days. I lay blame at the feet of the coaching staff and NZ rugby. The stats tell’s all. The AB’s was the worst disciplined side in the WC with more red and yellow cards than anyone else. Problem is NZ rugby is not training their players to play safer. And thats the danger a fast game brings. More yellow and red cards. But Sam Cane in my eye was and still is a great ambassador for the game, that just had a stroke of bad luck.
6 Go to commentsI hope Jim and co. Add this to their list of icebreaker questions they can ask all their guests going forward. So we can eventually hear what everyone thinks about this subject. “What do you think Ireland meant…”
122 Go to commentsHe’s a dominant personality. That might be both a good and bad thing in team dynamics. Certainly it ruined Smith’s first crack at 10 with Owen at 12. BTW, Bristol flatter to deceive. When things really matter, they tend to deliver less rather than more. Farrell would have been good for them
37 Go to commentsGot a lot of over the top abuse from Crusader fans, in particular, who thought every 7 they had was miles better. Now we will see if anyone is better? Laid his body on the line every game so finishing early makes sense. A lot of life left after rugby.
6 Go to commentsA poor decision to appoint Carley as not only is Pearce a better referee but also importantly speaks French.
2 Go to commentsHe is 100 % on the mark. Malicious arrogance with a lack of respect for the other teams mostly the south. they must learn from True rugby nations like the Boks and Kiwis
122 Go to commentsThis Outiniqua boy has played sublime rugby and deserves a spot in BI LIONS team. Well played son
4 Go to commentsI don’t like to see players miss big matches but this ban looks to be tailored to allow him to compete in the final. In principle a suspension for a very dangerous tackle in a semi should warrant missing the relevant final. Done now. One the flip side having both teams with very strong squads/teams available for the final will add to the occassion hopefully.
1 Go to commentsTalent to burn and a huge engine..hope he gets a shot at higher honours
2 Go to commentsIf anything like his dad he has a bright future, Soane was the best ball carrying props ive ever seen using a combination of pace power and footwork.
1 Go to commentsThose who saw Sharks vs Clermont and Ox N'Che vs Rabah Slimani should have a good idea of the best scrumagers… May be not the best props…
2 Go to commentsIt's been an unusual era of unpopular, highly competitive, domineering, fairly big fly halves in the home nations with Farrell, Sexton and Biggar. Russell is different in personality and player I think. I'd rank Sexton first of the three because he is just as good a game controller but also has a great passing game. And his competitiveness never seems to cause problems with refs.
37 Go to commentsThank goodness he wasn't born in Scotland, he'd have been a great candidate for the Scottish Barbarians. I wouldn't put it past them to push for a “where the player was conceived” rule 😂
2 Go to comments