'I'd people telling me about Naholo and I was, Nah, surely not? Then it gets announced and you're like, Wow, it was true'
Blair Cowan feels it billowing in the south-west London air, the optimistic prospect of a successful Premiership season to finally re-establish London Irish among an English elite they have had an estranged relationship with the last few years.
Doing well would be quite a prosperous leap, the 2009 league finalists frighteningly losing their way during Cowan’s four top-flight seasons at the Exiles. Just 21 wins in 88 matches tells the brutal tale of consistent under-achievement.
The 10th place finishes of 2013/14 and 2014/15, where they managed just sevens wins in each campaign and were a respective 31 and 28 points off top four, were followed by a pair of relegations, a 2015/16 demotion that featured just four wins and had them 45 points off the top four and a 2017/18 demise where there were just three wins and a finish that had them 41 points off top four. Ouch!
Safe to say, then, there is a steep mountain for them to climb now that they are back again among the big boys following their latest Discover England adventure in a Championship where promotion was secured at Easter through bettering second place Ealing by 13 points on the table.
Soon will come their initial moment of truth, an October 20 trip to Wasps to kick off their latest attempt to be competitive where it matters. Cowan can’t wait to see what unfolds.
(Continue reading below…)
“You know how it is pre-season – clubs haven’t played a game yet and everyone’s optimism is high,” he said to RugbyPass. “Everyone is feeling good, fresh, strong. But we are also under no illusion of the challenge ahead of us. We are excited for it. That first week against Wasps in the Premiership is when we will really know where we stand and I’m super excited for that.”
Irish’s yo-yo existence has been challenging and Cowan knows it is unacceptable, his antennae regarding what must be done to be better sharpened by a short-term loan switch to Saracens where he featured in a 2018 European quarter-final at Leinster and played some league matches with the Londoners who went on to the title that season.
“As a player, as a coach, as a spectator, like everyone, they see some reasons to point fingers at people,” he admitted when quizzed why Irish haven’t been producing the results expected from Mick Crossan’s generous investment in the club.
? FIXTURES DAY ?
Here is your #GallagherPrem Round One schedule ?? Some tasty match-ups for you ?
???
How do you rate your team's chances in the opening round??
? Download the APP for FULL FIXTURE list ?
??https://t.co/ynz3TWGHGC pic.twitter.com/HaG3FBnLWp— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) July 10, 2019
“I think it was a combination. Maybe the right people didn’t gel at the right time, but we are on the upward slope. These things take time. If you said a few years ago Exeter would be winning and reaching Premiership finals you would be laughed off the paddock, but they figured it out. They knew it was a long plan to get to where they are and they built the foundations.
“That is the realisation we have had at this club. It has got to start from the ground up and that is what this club has done. It’s pretty obvious in our investment in facilities, our investment in coaches, our investment in players. Things like that take time and once you have got a strong core, that is how you work your way up the ladder,” he reckoned, going on to reference his eye-opening, across-London stint.
“It was a good experience. They [Saracens] were very welcoming and I’d a great time, but I always felt my place was here. While I was there I was always keeping an eye on how they tick and why they tick and what they do.
Leesssssssggggooooooo ???? pic.twitter.com/q0nxAYRsLN
— Maro Itoje (@maroitoje) September 9, 2019
“It comes down to them having world-class players, let’s not beat around the bush. They have some amazing players and that is on the back of a reputation of who they are as a club. What they have also got is they have built a system that no matter who comes in at any stage they just seem to fall into that system so easily and seamlessly.
“It is led from the top down but it is also led from the players are well. They are so focused and they just know what they are doing. It has taken years of just repetition and building the foundations. We are now on that journey here and hopefully we can get to somewhere they are.
“Getting promoted, it’s such a different world going into the Premiership. We have been building from the minute Declan (Kidney) took over (in March 2018). He has had his large plan the whole time and he started implementing that from day one. There have been changes, especially internally with the players driving those standards to where we need to be.”
Cowan likes the shapes Kidney has been throwing, the 2009 Ireland Grand Slam coach and twice European champions with Munster not only recruiting some stellar household names but also nurturing the academy system in the hope a winning blend can materialise over the coming winter and beyond.
“He has a great background, his resume is pretty strong,” said the Kiwi. “We definitely see that with his organisations skills. He has recruited some great coaches to work with and also some boys who have been here from the past.
“There is definitely a layer of people who were here as players who have turned into coaches to keep the feel of the club, the feel of the Irish Exiles. The balance is really good.
? BIG News! ? #FoundationLaunch ?? pic.twitter.com/ImeIRyQWgw
— Topsy Ojo (@topsy_ojo) June 24, 2019
“It is a bit tough at times to understand what he is saying with that strong Irish accent but we have been enjoying him so far. First job was to get out of the Championship and we did that. Next job is to make sure we stand up in the Premiership and we are doing our preparation at the moment to make sure there are no excuses.
“It is exciting times. They have put in some money and Mick Crossan has done an outstanding job as he always has. The facilities we have got, the progress. When I started here we were at the Avenue and to see where we have come from there as far the support from the background staff and the money that has been put into this club is exciting.
“It’s not just the signings that are coming in, it’s also getting the likes of Matty Williams leaping into a senior squad and taking their chance. That is one of the most exciting aspects but we are all looking forward to the likes of (Waisake) Naholo, Sean O’Brien and the rest of them, there are definitely some exciting names coming.”
View this post on Instagram
After almost 30 years with London Irish Guinness have called it quits. #Guinness #LondonIrish
Cowan was just as amazed as any Irish supporter at some of the amazing recruitment. “With social media these days you are almost like the last find out about these signings. There is definitely no heads up that we get from staff above. I was getting whispers about the likes of Naholo. I’d people telling me and I was, ‘Nah, surely not?’ Then it gets announced and you are like, ‘Wow, it was true’.”
While Naholo, O’Brien, Adam Coleman and Sekope Kepu top the stellar cast, there has also been much attention regarding the recruitment of Paddy Jackson, the out-half sacked by the IRFU in April 2018 despite a not guilty verdict at a high profile court case.
Irish are steadfast in their support of their half-back even though his signing has had its criticism and led to long-term club sponsor Guinness opting out. “He has been outstanding. He has come in, has worked hard, has done everything possible for us as far as on and off the field to gel and you can why he has played for Ireland. You can see that on the training pitch organising from the 10 role and outside with the way he gets on with the boys and socialising. He has been a great addition.”
? "They are razzle dazzle! They will do their thing and stand-out."@Blair_CowanTC is looking forward to seeing his teammates at the Rugby World Cup, especially @motz02, TJ Ioane and Alivereti Veitokani with @manusamoa and @fijirugby! ???
? ? https://t.co/nTwzIYeiSC pic.twitter.com/yJiTt7wMqn
— London Irish (@LiRFC) September 6, 2019
Now aged 33, Cowan quips that “a lot of coffee, a lot of Kiwi packages from mum with chocolate and what not” is the secret to his longevity in what is increasingly becoming a younger man’s game.
A slow rise to prominence also helped, the New Zealander from Wellington only learning the ropes professionally at Cornish Pirates before eventually making the step into the Premiership as a 26-year-old with Worcester in 2012.
“Maybe it was because I didn’t develop the professional side of my rugby until bit later that I’m still managing to do it a bit later on,” he enthused before signing off with a mention for Scotland, the country he represented on 17 occasions and featured at the 2015 World Cup.
His hunch is that having the Scots face Ireland straightaway in their September 22 opener gives them every chance of doing well. “I’m still friends with a lot of those boys and there is an opportunity for Scotland. They know if they get off to a good start it definitely helps make other things fall into place. They can beat any team at any stage. It’s just down to consistency for those guys.”
Just like Irish and their latest return to the Premiership.
WATCH: The RugbyPass stadium guide to Yokohama where Scotland will open their World Cup campaign in Japan against Ireland
Comments on RugbyPass
Like others, I am not seeing the connection between this edition of the Crusaders and the All Blacks future prospects under Razor. I think the analysis of the Crusaders attack recently is helpful because Razor and his coaching team used to be able to slot new guys in to their systems and see them succeed. Several of Razor’s coaches are still there so it would be surprising if the current attack and set piece has been overhauled to a great extent - but based on that analysis, it may have been. Whether it is too many new guys due to injuries or retirement or a failure of current Crusaders systems is the main question to be answered imo. It doesn’t seem relevant for the ABs.
3 Go to commentsharry potter is set in stone. he creates stability and finishes well. exactly what schmidt likes. he’s the ben smith of australian rugby. i think it could quite easily be potter toole and kellaway for the foreseeable future.
5 Go to commentsThis is short sighted from Clayton if you ask me, smacks of too much preseason planning and no adaptability. What if DMac is out for a must win match, are they still only going to bring their best first five and playmaker on late in the game? Trusting the game to someone who wasn’t even part of planning (they would have had Trask pinned in as Jacomb preseason). Perhaps if the Crusaders were better they would not have done this, but either way imo you take this opportunity to play a guy you might need starting in a final rather than having their 12th game getting comfortable coming off the bench.
1 Go to commentsThanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.
21 Go to commentsWhat a load of bollocks. The author has forgotten to mention the fact that the Crusaders have a huge injury toll with top world class players out. Not to mention the fact that they are obviously in a transition period. No this will not spark a slow death for NZ rugby, but it does mean there will be a new Super Rugby champion. Anyone who knows anything about NZ rugby knows that there is some serious talent here, it just isn’t all at the Crusaders.
3 Go to commentsI wouldn’t spend the time on Nawaqanitawase! No point in having him filling in a jersey when he’s committed to leave Union. Give the jersey to a young prospect who will be here in the future.
5 Go to commentsIt was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
7 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to comments