Paul Gustard breaks silence seven months after leaving Harlequins
Paul Gustard has revealed he was pleased to see Harlequins win the Gallagher Premiership title, but is eager to draw a line on his shock January exit after starting a hugely exciting new challenge at Benetton. The former England assistant left his role with the London club at the beginning of 2021, six months before the end of the campaign following a poor start to the season.
While Gustard conceded he made mistakes during his two-and-a-half years in the capital, he remains proud of his work at Harlequins who produced a remarkable turnaround in form to beat Exeter in the play-off final at Twickenham. “If I have a foot in the past I will never move forward and I know the amount of work I did,” said Benetton’s new defence coach.
“There are always two sides to a story and I don’t feel the need to say anything. My track record, what I have won as a coach and where I took the club from where they were to where they are now, speaks for itself. I’m delighted for the coaching group I assembled together there, delighted for (head of athletic performance) Gareth Tong, the strength and conditioning staff and the medical staff.
“And I’m delighted for most of the players because for them they worked really hard for two, three seasons and a lot of those guys I brought in. When you bring people to a club, you want them to do well because you put your name to their signings and you also believe in them.
“So, I am pleased for them and pleased for the fans. I had a lot of support from lots of fans and criticism from others, but that is the way it lands. It is not always down to one person but there were certainly some things that went wrong on my fault and lots of things that went well which were also down to me. I am pleased for them, happy for them but I move forward with my life, my family and move forward with Benetton.”
Harlequins CEO Laurie Dalrymple has been speaking about winning the Premiership in June with the team Paul Gustard had worked with for two-and-a-half years until last January https://t.co/mjrEsek4tv
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 13, 2021
Following Gustard’s shock exit by mutual consent, a coaching committee led by general manager Billy Millard was tasked with salvaging a season that started with four defeats out of six before a painful 27-27 draw at home to London Irish. It was another match where a lead had been relinquished and saw an early parting of ways for the former Saracens flanker and the club after fifth and then sixth-place finishes in the 45-year-old’s first two campaigns.
Reflecting on his tenure, Gustard explained his aim was to build a group capable of dominating English rugby and while he was braced for life in Italy by the time of Harlequins’ 40-38 triumph over Exeter at Twickenham, his fingerprints were visible with two-try hero Louis Lynagh integrated under the Geordie’s watch and other try-scorers Wilco Louw and Andre Esterhuizen his signings.
Gustard added: “I said at the beginning of the season that squad – if it stayed together – there was a great starting 23 there. The team compared to three years ago when they finished joint eleventh before I came in is remarkably different. You could probably see from the team the kind of direction the club was heading in, it was to try and build a squad that could stay together for a long period, just as I had experienced at Saracens.”
Australian Millard would eventually steer Harlequins back on course with the thrilling June 26 win across the road from their Twickenham Stoop home the culmination of an extraordinary campaign. With crucial support from coaches Nick Evans, Adam Jones, Jerry Flannery and Charlie Mulchrone, Harlequins triumphed in eleven of their 16 final league fixtures before seeing off Bristol and Exeter in the play-offs following Gustard’s exit.
The architect behind so much of the team’s exhilarating play was fly-half Marcus Smith, who racked up 286 points during a memorable season where he would eventually make the England and then the Lions squad. “Marcus is a phenomenal talent and there are a few at Harlequins,” Gustard said. “He always had the ability to run the ball, always had a beautiful passing game and his goal-kicking was excellent, but his game-management has come on light-years.”
After leaving one club which went on to secure silverware in June, Gustard has moved to another fresh from a historic triumph. Benetton finished bottom of the regular Guinness PRO14 season after a winless 16 league fixtures but regrouped for the Rainbow Cup to reach the final where they dismantled South African opposition Blues 35-8.
It gave the Italian franchise a maiden international trophy and Gustard is eager to build on that while he enjoys the challenge of the division newly named the United Rugby Championship. “It is hugely exciting,” the experienced coach said. “If you look at some of the teams, Leinster have been a heavyweight of European rugby over the last six or seven years, Munster are another so there are multiple teams who would sit firmly in the Premiership top half.
“With the South African sides coming into it, it will offer a different challenge to what I normally face. It is hard at whatever level you play at in elite sport to win trophies and we were unbeaten in the Rainbow Cup so we go into the season on a high and with momentum. Now we need to build on it.”
He may only have enjoyed a cameo on this tour, but the @Harlequins 10 definitely caught Gatland's eye. #LionsRugby #LionsSA2021 https://t.co/BH3TkFps4r
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 8, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
You know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
2 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
2 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
7 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
25 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
25 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
25 Go to comments