'One thing certain is having been away, to get back into it has reignited that spark and love for the game'
Next Saturday will be an all-round strange affair at Twickenham. England are playing with no fans at home for the first time, Georgia are unfamiliar visitors and an additional novelty is the presence of recently ousted Gloucester boss David Humphreys on the backroom staff of the Eastern European minnows.
It’s a scenario not even Nostradamus could have predicted earlier in 2020. At that time, England were hosting capacity crowds for Six Nations wins over Ireland and Wales, Georgia had a low-key fixtures list in keeping with their tier two status, while Humphreys was fully immersed in the director of rugby role he had held at Kingsholm since 2014.
One pandemic later and all is utterly changed, though. We’ve known for a while England would have to keep Twickenham’s entrances shuttered to fans, known since September that Georgia would replace drop-outs Japan in this newfangled Nations Cup filler concept, but seeing Humphreys involved in Test rugby? Now that genuinely jumped out of the blue in recent weeks.
One phone call soon led to couple more and Humphreys went from merely innocently checking the lie of the consultancy land with World Rugby to swiftly pitching in as a temporary high performance director with Georgia who have a daunting – yet very exciting – schedule ahead.
Fixtures in London, Llanelli, Dublin and Edinburgh against England, Wales, Ireland and a final tier one country is the stuff of dreams for the minnow rugby nation who fleetingly pop up on the radar every World Cup and then quickly disappear into anonymity for another four years.
? #8nations Episode 1 | Final training week in Tbilisi ?
? Levan Maisashvili (Head Coach), Merab Sharikadze (Captain), Irakli Tchkonia (S&C) and Nika Pinaishvili (GPS) take us behind the scene of #TheLelos preparations for @autumnnations Cup 2020 https://t.co/mIgKCU6qLL
— Georgian Rugby (@GeorgianRugby) November 6, 2020
Not this cycle, though. Thirteen months after they signed off at the last finals versus Australia in Shizuoka, the glare of the limelight is intriguingly back on them. More of this fabulous development anon. First, though, let’s tackle Humphreys’ dramatic June exit from Kingsholm just 18 days after Johan Ackermann’s troubling departure.
Director of rugby and head coach both gone in less than three weeks from a club that had reached the Premiership semi-finals in May 2019. It didn’t stack up but Humphreys isn’t here to rock the boat, preferring instead to look back with fondness on a six-year chapter of his life that began when he was tempted to give up his native Ulster and try something different in England.
“I look back on that six years now with a lot of very good memories,” he told RugbyPass. “I thoroughly enjoyed the time there. It was a big decision at the time to leave Ulster but I believe it was a great decision and from a rugby point of view, it gave a very different perspective from what life is like in the provincial system in Ireland.
“I feel very strongly that Gloucester made some real progress during that time. Not as quick as any of us would have liked but to get to the playoffs last year, third in the league, showed the progress that we made on the field and off the field the club, despite the challenges that have come with Covid, will come back. Over the next few years I hope to see they will continue to compete and establish themselves as one of the top teams in England.
“I always believe in professional sport when the time is right to move on the time is right. The circumstances around Johan’s departure and from other changes behind the scenes it was the right time for me and for Gloucester to move onto something new.
“What you hope is while we didn’t achieve what we ultimately would have like to, the club is definitely improved and with the challenges that exist due to Covid at the minute it’s going to be a time for a number of clubs to sit back, wait until the main part of Covid is gone and then start to rebuild again.
“It’s professional sport, there’s cycles for every club and Gloucester will undoubtedly go through another cycle over the next few years. But it’s a wonderful club. It has got some very good people behind the scenes and it has got wonderful supporters. With those raw ingredients, I have no doubt they will come back stronger as rugby returns.”
Stepping away has reinvigorated Humphreys, the now 49-year-old former Ireland out-half who retired from playing in 2008 and went on to carve out an alternative career rugby rather than putting to use his legal qualifications and forging ahead in that sphere.
Another seismic departure from Kingsholm https://t.co/7vvicrne4I
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 2, 2020
“I thoroughly enjoyed the last four, five months, being able to sit back, being able to reflect on what happened, get refreshed,” he continued about his sudden leaving of Gloucester. “One thing certain is having been away from rugby for a fair period of time, to get back into it has reignited that spark and love for the game.
“This is very much a short-term consultancy role. I’m looking forward to the next four weeks getting back into the day to day, the match preparation, but who knows what the future holds for any of us. I’ll enjoy the next few weeks, then sit back and see what happens after that.”
It was the second week in October when Humphreys got down to hands-on business with Georgia, himself and temporary backs/attack Neil Doak working at the ten-day camp in France that led into the October 23 defeat to Scotland at Murrayfield.
The 7-48 display wasn’t what was hoped for from Levan Maisashvili’s team but the ambition is that they more time the squad spends together in the coming weeks, the more effective they will become in an important month where they want to show they really do have the potential to step into the Six Nations should they ever be invited.
“The Scotland performance was disappointing around a number of elements of the game that Georgia have built a reputation on, around set-piece and being hugely physical,” reflected Humphreys. “But when you sit back and look at their preparation, it comes as no surprise that they didn’t perform at the level the team would have like to. It’s not about a case of winning and losing, it’s about doing certain things and doing them well.
“When you consider a significant number of the squad hadn’t played rugby since last February, March, even those players who are based in France haven’t had much game time with their club. Plus there is the fact that some players Georgia have built their team around the last couple of World Cup have retired and moved on.
“So it has almost been like the perfect storm for Georgia in terms of their preparation for this Autumn Nations competition. They have players that haven’t played much rugby, they have some very young players who haven’t played much in their club system, so this is now an opportunity for them to get that over the next month.
“Don’t forget that the French-based players left the short camp prior to Scotland (it fell outside the regulation nine window), so we really only had a couple of sessions building into that. Really over the next month it’s now an opportunity for the coaches to establish a game plan that suits the players, get to know the players well and give these young players an opportunity to perform at a level a lot of them won’t have experienced before.
Fixtures: @GeorgianRugby
Georgia are in Group A of the @autumnnations, with games against England, Wales and Ireland before the Finals Weekend in December. #AutumnNationsCup pic.twitter.com/n5a2WpVpvH
— Autumn Nations Cup ? (@autumnnations) September 26, 2020
“It’s a very, very short period to be able to make any change. But it is also important to understand why this competition is a huge opportunity for Georgia. It’s really a start for them and this next few weeks can’t just be about results. Being involved in high level competition and understanding what needs to be developed, what needs to change to allow them to compete at this level on a much more regular basis, that’s the thing for me, trying to get that overview.
“As soon as the opportunity presented itself with Japan dropping out, the players and staff knew how important getting involved at this level was going to be for Georgia. There is a nervousness around how the team is going to deal with the demands of playing with a small squad, with a squad that is not yet match-hardened because they haven’t played much rugby, and how they are going to deal with the physical nature, the challenge of playing four big games in a short period.
“That is what we have got to manage but from a players’ point of view this is why you play rugby. Speak to any of the Georgian players, this opportunity to play against England, Wales, Ireland and then a play-off at the end is something every player has aspirations to perform well in.
“They speak very good English, so communication hasn’t been a problem at all,” he added. “I’m not a coach so it hasn’t been so much an issue from a technical side of things. Neil is the one who over the course of the next month will try and build that attacking element into their game but it’s very much a case of taking it slowly, understanding international rugby is very different to what they have experienced.
Young & uncapped, Georgia U20 graduates, Mikheil Alania (SH) and Luka Matkava (FH) were added to the team along with experienced Mikheil Gachechiladze (3dR) and Mirian Modebadze (W). Kote Mikautadze (2dR) to join the team from 2nd round
Read more here: https://t.co/kIsQAZJc3c pic.twitter.com/hMEgKXjDEE
— Georgian Rugby (@GeorgianRugby) October 30, 2020
“It’s about doing the simple things well. The most successful teams in international rugby do the basics very, very well and that’s an area where Georgia didn’t manage to do against Scotland, so that is going to be the starting point for any planning for the next few weeks.”
Last weekend’s cancellation of the rescheduled Six Nations B derby versus Russia denied Humphreys the chance to get out to Tbilisi and see first-hand the infrastructure backing up the dedicated Georgia high performance centre, but he is confident that what he experienced at last month’s training camp in France bodes well for an encuraging adventure.
“There is always worries in the current Covid restrictions, they are always going to be concerns but what we saw with the ten-day camp in France, it went well and the players fully understand the responsibility that comes with going into this bubble.
“Look, we have seen some difficulties over the last few weeks for different reasons but like everybody involved in the competition we will all be doing everything we can to ensure the players are protected, the staff are protected and ensure the competition goes ahead as planned.
STAFF UPDATE | Happy to announce Sebastien Bruno (Forwards), David Humphreys (HP Consultant), Neil Dock (A & B) & Calvin Morriss (HP Advisor, @WorldRugby) joining #TheLelos Staff for the duration of inaugural @autumnnations ?
Read More here: https://t.co/i4Ya0MNcCO pic.twitter.com/FoEudsNVWK
— Georgian Rugby (@GeorgianRugby) October 10, 2020
“Having never been involved in Test rugby at a management level it has given me a fascinating insight into tier two, how they prepare, what their preparations look like and how that compares with how clubs prepare on a week to week basis. It’s a huge challenge but Georgia are very ambitious.
“When you see 50,000 people watching games against Russia in normal circumstances, they is a huge demand and a huge interest in Georgian rugby. Nobody involved in this from a Georgian perspective can worry about results. It’s all about ensuring over the course of the next four weeks that the team with time together, with some match time, with getting that game time they have lacked for the last six months, that they get better and better each week.”
With their global rugby sensation, Mamuka Gorgodze, no more following his retirement, the Georgia baton is available and Humphreys is hopeful some new household names will soon emerge. “Some of them have X-factor but it’s about giving them the opportunity to show what they are capable of doing in a team.
“In international rugby, especially in a team like Georgia, it’s not about individual stars, it’s making sure that everybody understands what is required from each of them, that they each know their role in a game plan that will be pretty simple but which hopefully will allow them to compete… I’m excited to see how they will progress.”
????? ????????! FInally… Rugby's coming back!
????????? vs ?????????? | Scotland vs Georgia | 23/10/20 | 22:30 (Geo.Time)
? ? @JSCTBC pic.twitter.com/IjRq2xjLYq
— Georgian Rugby (@GeorgianRugby) October 22, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
It 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.
5 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 commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to comments