Irish must not throw the baby out with the bathwater
It was an unenvious position for Nick Kennedy and his coaching staff to be in right from day one.
Fresh on the heels of having led London Irish’s academy to success in the Premiership U18s league, Kennedy was appointed director of rugby at the club, bringing with him Declan Danaher and Paul Hodgson from the U18s, as defence and attack coaches respectively.
Irish had just been relegated – their first stint outside of the top tier since the 1995/96 season – the club’s squad was arguably at its lowest ebb in terms of quality and depth in years and the deficit in budget between the one the club would have to operate on and the ones the sides who would remain in the Premiership would have, relative to the deficits Harlequins and Northampton Saints endured during their stints in the Championship, was extreme.
That’s a tough scenario for any coaches to have to deal with, let alone a trio cutting their teeth at the senior level for the first time.
Unfortunately, the Championship is – or at least was – a tough place to be and sell to players the vision you have of future Premiership success, especially on a budget as small as the one that Irish were working with. The fact Irish’s Premiership status last season wasn’t confirmed until the 24th May, thanks to the two-legged playoff, severely hindered their recruitment strategy, and there was very little doubt that they would be favourites to return to the Championship this season.
That fate hasn’t been sealed yet, thanks to the club’s impressive win over Worcester Warriors last weekend, which has cut the gap between the two clubs to 12 points, with six games remaining.
Mathematically, that could account for a 30-point swing.
Realistically, Irish’s schedule doesn’t promise anything close to that.
Their remaining slate of games sees them visit Wasps this weekend, before later trips to Harlequins and Bath, with home games against Gloucester, Exeter Chiefs and Saracens mixed in. At the minimum, Irish would need three wins from those six games to have a chance and that is assuming Worcester pick up nothing from their remaining six fixtures, something which seems unlikely given their recent upturn in form.
A shock away win at the Ricoh Arena this weekend could offer some small hope of salvation, but it’s clutching at straws at this point.
If we assume relegation is now the likely outcome, plans for a season in the Championship must be made and if there is one priority the club should have, it is to keep Kennedy and his coaching staff on board, as well as technical director Brendan Venter.
RugbyPass caught up with Kennedy at Irish’s Hazelwood training base last month and it is hard not to be impressed by the honesty of the man.
Irish’s fate this season has not been a result of poor planning or ineffective coaching – despite the self-effacing answers of Kennedy in that interview – and the testing campaign has had its roots in the size of the budget the club has and the lack of time to adequately recruit for the season, thanks to the Championship playoff system.
If you need an example of what might have been possible, look no further than the positive impacts that midseason recruits Piet van Zyl and Arno Botha have had on the performances of the team.
The Championship is a different beast, now. The playoffs have been scrapped and teams are now able to recruit, as early as January and February if their league position is strong enough, as if they will be a Premiership side next season.
Obviously, Bristol are in a different league in terms of funding to Irish, which explains additions like Steven Luatua and the soon-to-be arriving Charles Piutau, but signings announced earlier this year like Harry Thacker, Nic Stirzaker and John Afoa, whilst likely also all being on considerable pay packets, are the result of the club’s future in the Premiership being a lot more secure than in previous seasons.
Kennedy and Venter did not have that luxury last season and you can certainly argue that this side isn’t truly ‘theirs’, yet.
Having been appointed shortly after the club’s relegation to the Championship was confirmed, recruitment options were limited at that point and the priority was holding on to some of the club’s more important players. Furthermore, the two-legged playoff with Yorkshire Carnegie a year later, a hurdle the favourites have fallen at in years gone by, then denied them the time to adequately strengthen ahead of their Premiership return.
If they can navigate the travails of the Championship again next season, something which is no given, with Yorkshire always a threat and the job director of rugby Ben Ward has done at Ealing being a story which deserves far more press and recognition, they should have the time to strengthen accordingly.
Let’s not forget that the Championship, whilst being a hard-hitting financial purgatory, is an opportunity to lay the foundations for future success. One of the key ways this can be achieved is through recruitment.
For any Premiership club attempting to lure another Premiership player away from their current side, they are only able to talk through intermediaries before January 1st, whilst Championship clubs are able to steal a march on their Premiership rivals and can get face-to-face time before that, something which can be crucial in convincing a player of your club’s ambition.
If the rumoured investment in the club is also forthcoming, it will allow Irish to make more of a splash, something which they have lacked in the past two seasons, but let’s play devil’s advocate and say no investment is coming and what Irish have now is what they will have 12 months from now, as they hopefully bid to return to the Premiership.
Who better to have on board than Kennedy, Hodgson and Danaher?
If there is another opportunity the Championship provides, especially this new format which could see a champion crowned before the season’s end, it is that it is battleground on which young players can be tested. It is by no means forgiving, but it doesn’t have the same quality that the Premiership does. There are fixtures where selection risks can be taken and emerging stars can, hopefully, grasp those opportunities with both hands.
These three coaches have shown that they can develop and improve players and are blazing a trail for younger coaches who make their names in club academies.
Who better to help develop the likes of Ben Loader, Rory Brand, Josh Basham, Isaac Curtis-Harris and Tom Parton than these coaches? Having worked with them within in the academy and again now as seniors, they know better than anyone what those players are ready for in terms of senior rugby.
England U20s were beaten in Myreside last night, but how about THIS for a score from @gloucesterrugby's @T_Seabz ? pic.twitter.com/E5YTDlVkdD
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) February 24, 2018
There is also the next raft of U18s to be promoted to the senior academy this offseason, again, all of whom Kennedy and his coaching staff worked with and know well. One particularly impressive player is Ben Donnell, who will sign professional terms and join Irish’s senior academy next season. They will know best when to blood him, as well as games and roles that would be most suitable for him, and this way his development is managed well and possibly even kickstarted, rather than new coaches taking time to learn his – and the rest of the youngsters on board at Irish – strengths and weaknesses.
If you can’t buy in new talent at the same rate as the other Premiership clubs, then you need to develop your own at a faster rate. If this is the goal, Irish have the right staff in place.
Then there is Venter, someone with more coaching experience than the rest of the Irish coaching staff combined, which also includes George Skivington and Charlie Hodgson, and he is the ying to the yang of the otherwise youthful set-up.
An innovative rugby mind, Venter was one of the masterminds behind the creation of a culture at Saracens that has led to them being double European champions and perennial Premiership challengers.
Obviously, Saracens operated on a significantly larger budget than the one Irish have at their disposal, so those early steps to competitiveness may take longer than they did in north London, but having that kind of intellectual property around the club is extremely valuable. There would be no shortage of suitors if Venter and Irish were to cut ties.
There is a nice blend of innovation, experience and ability to develop talent in Irish’s senior leadership and one poor season in the Premiership doesn’t change that.
Kennedy, Venter, Hodgson and Danaher all signed new contracts at the club last summer and hopefully the club will not be tempted into doing anything rash, as these men are the best candidates to return the club to its former glories, they just need more time to shape the squad.
The Championship is a tough testing ground for young and aspiring players – not to mention coaches – but there is no reason why, in 12 months’ time, we can’t be looking at an Irish side poised to return to the Premiership that is in a much healthier position than when they accomplished the same feat 12 months ago.
Rugby is becoming a less patient sport with coaches and directors of rugby, but when you have to grow something organically, with fewer resources than your competitors, the need for consistency and a clear vision is paramount and that is something Irish already have in place.
Comments on RugbyPass
The Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
15 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
18 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
18 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
18 Go to commentsthe success of the premiership can be summarized by : only 10 teams. It makes a huge difference with the overcrowded top 14 (let us not talk about Leinster and URC…)
1 Go to commentsGood for him. The ABs were fooling around again with converted fullbacks that had a penetration of a marshmallow. Laumape or as Aki has shown for Ireland, go forward is important in the centres. If it had been DMac - Aki- Aumua - Ioane- Telea- Jordan in France the final result would have been different.
4 Go to commentsDan Carter a apporté son professionnalisme, des méthodes de travail, un esprit qui manquaient à l’USAP. Son influence, même une fois blessé a été énorme. Et pour citer une anecdote, certains soirs il venait de lui-même à l’entraînement des jeunes pour dispenser ses conseils. On ne peut pas compter ce qu’il a apporté au club en heures de jeu sur le terrain. Est-ce que le club en a eu pour son argent ? Avec la publicité sur son nom et le titre, je suppose que oui.
1 Go to commentsThe SA sides are suffering from a bum rap here. There isn’t a side anywhere in the world that would do things differently in their shoes. They’ve been set up to fail in the EPCR comps by vested interests, with last minute intercontinental travel requirements that costs an arm and a leg to book in advance just on the possibility they might be required. And the total nonsense that denies any chance of home venues is entirely biased and absolutely unsporting. Either EPCR, the Top14 & the Gallagher Premiership get it sorted on a fair and equitable sporting basis for ALL participants or expect the ridicule to continue. Right now, these comps are a joke!
18 Go to commentsSA sides should do the right thing and leave the champions cup, they are lowering the standard with completely one sided games, not up to the right level. The greatest club tournament in the world is being banjaxed by the weak SA sides.
18 Go to commentsCouldnt agree more. SA sides need to show more committment and really have a go at the Champions Cup. Its quite possibly the most prestigious title in Europe and SA sides need to respect that prestige and serve up their best. EPCR needs to do more to ensure that sides from South Africa and sides travelling to and from SA have a better chance in this competition. The Bulls were put in a really difficult position of having to travel there and back in one week. One could argue that this is what the SA sides signed up for and that La Rochelle didnt complain or send out weakened sides despite having to travel to SA and back and play on successive weekends but surely the situation is also unfair on La Rochelle as well and so EPCR needs to think about successive gameweeks and the travel effect of the competition
18 Go to commentsI hadn’t watched much Canes this season but sat through a replay of that Chiefs game with no distractions. That pack is beastly. I really like the look of Iose. He loves the tough stuff. The first Quins clip may be the best I have even seen for a TH driving his opposite into oblivion. i need to take your word for the contribution of Walker, but Collier there with a straight back pushing up from under was a lovely thing to see. Have you fallen in love with Baxter also, Nick? I think Stuart Barnes may have written his column about him recently, naked. He positively frothed.
15 Go to commentsSmart guy. I wish he was running the RFU or something!
3 Go to commentsWhy Barrett, when Leinster already have at least 4 top centres.?
15 Go to comments